A New Start
by tearsXsolitude
Summary: This is a story about Jack and how he comes to love and join the Mercer family. Read how he adjusts to the safe and loving Mercer home from his previous homes.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

It was about three in the morning when they left the hospital. Jessica had tried her hardest to find him a permanent home. Or even a temporary home before she gave up and called the only person left. Evelyn Mercer. The only reason it was such short notice for Evelyn and so early in the morning for everyone is because the hospital said that Jack was good to go and that they needed the space. Unfortunately they waited to tell her this until a major fire took over an apartment complex and the space was absolutely necessary.

"Jack I know that with you just being out of the hospital, you probably don't want to hear this, but I've found you a new home. This one is only an emergency placement until I can find someone who will take you permanently, but I want you too know that this woman will not let any harm come too you." The worried social worker took her eyes off the road for just a split second to give the boy in the driver's seat a worried look. "This woman has worked for years as a social worker and has got too be one of the kindest woman I have ever met. She has already taken in three boys before you and they were all considered lost causes. This will be a great new start for you." She let out a sigh. "I just want you to give them a chance okay? Jack answer me honey."

The boy continued to stare out the window before he spoke.

"How old are they?" He asked in a monotone voice.

Jessica, the social worker, was happy that Jack had talked, but it wrenched at her heart that he had asked that question. She knew that the only reason he asked it was because he was worried about them hurting him and he wanted to know if he had a chance.

"Bobby is the oldest and he's 20. Jerry is the second oldest and he's 17. Angel is the baby of the family at 16. But Jack these boys would never hurt there own. If you live in there house, then you're family. You'll be safe i promise."

"Gee, where have I heard that before?" He said in a whisper that Jessica wasn't meant to hear. She did hear it though and it seemed it was all she could do to contain her tears. She tried to place Jack in good homes. She really did, but Jack never talked and if he was abused in the house then he wouldn't say anything and the only way they would find out is when things had gotten extremely bad.

"Okay, we're here Jack." She said as she slowly pulled over to the side of the street in front of a beautiful brick house with a wrap around porch. She turned off the car and unbuckled her seat belt. Jack hadn't moved an inch. "Jack?" She said in a hushed tone. "Sweetie we're here you have to get out now okay?" She watched him tense up and then slowly unbuckle his own seat belt. As they exited the car and walked up to the house she couldn't help but notice that Jack was tailing rather slowly behind her. She knew that he was debating on whether or not he should just bolt. So she reached back and took a gentle hold on his hand, ignoring the flinch and small effort to draw his hand back. She was comforted when he didn't struggle once he realized he wasn't going to be able to run. Normally he wouldn't let anyone touch him, but he seemed to trust Jessica enough to allow her to hold his hand or once in a while give him a small hug.

Jessica knocked on the door to the front of the house which caused Jack to jump slightly. The door was answered by a very irritably tired looking older man wearing a sweat stained wife beater and red wing boxers. Jack took a step back, tugging on Jessica's hand. She just squeezed her hand around his reassuringly and said. "Hi, you must be Bobby. Is Evelyn here?"

The man's face soften when he saw the terrified aura the small boy was giving off despite the fact that he couldn't see the kids face because his eyes were glued to the ground. "Yeah, she's getting a room ready for the kid. You can come on in though she should be done soon." Bobby stepped aside opening the door wider to let them in. He watched as the boy tailed behind the woman quickly, keeping his head down and hidden by his baggie hoodie.

Once inside Jack and Jessica sat on the couch. Jessica kept hold of Jack's hand because she could feel him start to shake under her grip. Poor kid looked so pathetic just sitting there shaking with his head shielded by his hood and his eyes glued to the floor.

"So, kid, how old are you?" Bobby said sitting in a chair opposite of them. Bobby could see the kid shaking and he knew he was scared but Bobby wasn't going to hurt him. How could he?

"He's thirteen. His name is Jack and I'm Jessica." The young red head sitting next to the kid answered.

Bobby was about to ask why she was answering for him when they heard small footsteps descending the stairs.

"Hi Jessica, it's nice to see you again sweetie." Evelyn said as she walked in to the room. Bobby stood and Evelyn sat in the chair that he was previously sitting in.

"I'm sorry Evelyn about such short notice but the hospital needed room and Jack was okay to leave but i didn't have anywhere for him to go." Jessica explained exhaustedly.

"No, no its fine Jess really. Call me anytime you need." She directed her attention to the small boy next to her. "Hi, its Jack am I right?"

Jack didn't say anything which rewarded him with a sad sigh from Jessica. "Evelyn I'm really sorry to do this to you, but I actually have one more case I need to get too and I really can't stay any longer." She stood up slowly and let go of Jack's trembling hand. "Jack I have to go now but you're in safe hands. I promise this time." At that Jessica said some more goodbyes and left the house leaving Jack a shaking mess.

"Are you tired Jack?" Evelyn asked stifling a yawn.

Jack considered his answer carefully, not wanting to say the wrong thing, before he decided on a, "Yes ma'am."

"Okay well why don't I show you where your room is and you can decide if you want to stay in there and get used to it or come down here and watch TV or something. How's that?" Evelyn said in an attempt to make him more comfortable.

Jack hesitated before he shook his head up and down slightly. He waited to get up until Evelyn was already heading out of the room. He inched his way around Bobby who followed him up the stairs where Evelyn showed him his room. Jack was surprised. There was only one bed. The room was all his. He assumed. He couldn't be sure. Maybe the bed was someone else's and he was supposed to sleep on the floor.

"Okay Jack, come on in. You have this whole room to yourself. You can use anything in here; the dresser, the closet, the bed, anything okay?" Evelyn said almost reading his thoughts.

Jack stepped in to the room cautiously his eyes still locked on his feet and his hood still up.

"Jack? Did you hear me?"

_Shit! _Jack thought. _She was talking to me and I didn't hear her. She'll be mad. _

Jack backed himself further into the room and started shaking a little more than before.

"Jack?" Evelyn said worriedly. "I just wanted you too know that there are some sweat pants and a T-shirt for you to sleep in. Jessica informed me that you didn't have any clothes other than what you're wearing now. So I fished out some of the boys old clothes. If you want to change, I can wash your clothes for you and you'll have them clean for tomorrow?"

Jack forced himself to calm down seeing as how neither the lady nor the older man standing next to her got mad. His shaking subsided and he agreed to her suggestion. Once they had shut the door to his room to give him the privacy he needed to change, he inched his clothing off as carefully as he could. Trying hard not cause his healing body any more damage.

It was a painful process but he finally got his dirty clothes off and the clean ones that Evelyn had given him on. He folded his dirty clothes and stacked them in a neat pile. He cautiously opened his door to see that both Bobby and Evelyn were waiting not to far off to the side of his door. When they turned to look at him, they for the first time saw his face nice and clear. Both there eyes grew big.

"Who the hell did that to you!?" Bobby nearly yelled in a threatening tone that made Jack jump.

"Bobby calm down." Evelyn said soothingly.

She slowly and calmly approached the now very frightened Jack, and gently took the clothes from him. "Jack honey, what happened to your face?" She cooed, referring to the large stitched up gash that ran across his face from his left cheek bone to just across the other side of his nose. There where also a large amount of bruises that covered both his arms and his face making it almost impossible to make out his original skin tone.

"N-n-nothing." Jack stuttered out.

"Nothing my ass!" Bobby screeched making Jack take a few steps back.

"Bobby, can you take these down stairs for me and throw them in the wash."

Bobby hesitated, obviously wanting to say more about what he saw, but decided to just let ma handle it and reluctantly took the clothes down stairs, disappearing from view.

Evelyn turned her attention back to Jack. "I want make you talk about it if you don't want to, but I want you to know that you can come to me about anything. Bobby too. He seems scary, but the only reason he got so upset was because he stand it when people do things like what has been to done to you. He wasn't mad at you and he would never raise a hand to you okay? Good now you can get some sleep if you want. Just so you know though Jerry and Angel, my other two boys, will probably be home when you wake up. Don't worry about them either thought okay? Everything will be okay, I promise. Good night sweetie." Evelyn said at last letting Jack return back to the safety of his room.

Jack quietly shut the door to his room and looked around it. Then he went over to his new bed and laid on it letting the events of the night set in. He started crying silently letting his mind drift into a part of his past he really didn't want to remember. A part of his past that went back to when he wasn't in the system and still lived with his mother and father.

_**Flashback:**_

_Six-year-old Jack woke up to loud footsteps descending the stairs of the basement where he was kept in a small animal crate in a closet. Jack waited wondering if the footstep where that of his mothers or his fathers, or worse, his father's friends. Jack was horrified when the closet door swung open revealing his father and one of his father's friends. Jack pushed himself as far as he could against the back of the crate. _

"_You think that'll stop me you little shit!?" Jack's father screamed at him. _

_His father opened the lock on the crate and aggressively shot his hand in to the crate and grabbing Jack by his hair. Jack let out a whimper and was tossed to the cold, hard concrete of the basement floor. _

_Jack's father turned to his friend. "One hour Devon, just like I promised. There's a mattress over in the corner if you need it. Don't worry about him screaming down here. We tested it, and you can't hear anything that happens down here, outside. So enjoy!" And with that, Jack's father walked himself up the stairs and threw the door. _

_Jack got to his feet and tried to run after his father, but was grabbed by the back of his T-shirt and yanked backwards on to the concrete again. Then before he could get off the ground again the man was on top of Jack straddling his waist. Jack's struggles were in vein and his arms were help tightly above his head by only on of the man's hands. Jack let hot tears of desperation roll down his face when the man, Devon, reached under Jack's shirt and began to run his fingertips over Jack's bruised body. Jack struggled again when he felt Devon's hand brush along his waist band. Then Devon quickly released Jack and grabbed his waistband hauling him off the floor and throwing him on the mattress. Jack tried again to get up but was once again straddled. This time though Devon started to undo his belt. Jack let out a series of screams for help, but was not surprised when no one came to his aid. _

_Devon looped his belt around Jack's hands and tied them to the heating pipe just in front of the mattress. Jack felt his skin burning and he released other set of screams before he gave up and just cried hysterically. Once Devon knew the kid couldn't get up he stood up and removed all his clothing. Then he straddled Jack again and skillfully removed his clothing. He leaned over Jack's body and began licking and sucking at his neck before he pushed his tongue threw Jack's mouth. Once he felt satisfied there he started grabbing violently in between Jack's legs. Jack was horrified even further when he felt Devon grow hard. Everything after that was a blank, because Jack got so distraught that he went unconscious from a state of shock. If had happened before but he never passed out. He thanked god that this time he did._

_When Jack woke up he was back in his dog crate in the closet. He was still naked and was freezing. The only part of him that felt like it was on fire was his wrists that were tied to the heating pipe. They screamed in pain, but Jack knew that his father would not be happy that he had passed out. There would be more pain to come. _

_Just then the closet door swung open so forcefully that it flew off its hinges._

"_YOU LITTLE FUCKER!!! I lost a lot money because you couldn't keep fucking awake!!"_

_In less then a split second Jack was torn from his crate and was dragged over to a corner of the room. Where, when released, he felt his fathers hard fist connect with his face, over and over again. Then he moved to the rest of Jack's body and started hitting him all over until Jack didn't even have the strength to scream anymore. He laid in the corner a bloody, bruised, broken mess._

"_No more." Jack heard his father in a low angry tone._

_The next thing Jack knew he was in a hospital bed and in a lot of pain. The nurse there told him that he had been dumped in an alley and that a cop just happened to be across the street dealing with a parking ticket when he saw the car speed off. Unfortunately he got no plates, but he was able to save Jack. _

_**End of Flashback**_

Jack woke up screaming, tears drowning his face. Somewhere during his train of thought he had fallen asleep and somewhere during his sleep he had wedged himself underneath his bed.

Jack saw the door open and four sets of feet hurried there way in to the room. Jack held his breathe and kept completely quiet. He saw two sets of feet stay in the door way. The other two sets of feet he saw go over to the closet, and then to the bed. They stood there for a moment and then he watched, practically scared shitless, as they bent down and looked under the bed. Jack started whimpering and pushing his starved body frame against the back wall.

"Jack, we are not going to hurt you, you can come out." Evelyn said as calm as possible.

It was light out now, so at least Jack didn't wake anyone. That might make his punishment less.

"Jack sweetie, Bobby and I are going to back away and go stand on the other side of the room. So you know that you can come out on your own. We are not going to hurt you okay?"

Jack was surprised when they did exactly as she said. He saw there feet and they were all the way on the other side of the room. Usually when someone wanted him out from under the bed, they would just drag him out. Jack was still cautious though. The other two sets of feet were still waiting at the door. It could turn in to a possible ambush. Jack decided to test whether or not these people really meant harm. So he found the courage to make a small demand.

"I-I want to two at the door to move over w-wh-where you a-are." He knew he was pushing it and they could jump him right now, but at least he would no for sure instead of waiting in suspense to be hit.

"If that'll make you feel better, we can do that." Evelyn's said softly.

Sure enough the two sets of feet moved there way over to where Evelyn and Bobby were standing. Jack was still hesitant, but he was a fast runner and he could make his way out the door if anyone so much as lifted a finger in his direction.

Jack slowly rolled out from under the bed and stood, readying himself to run if needed.

"Jack, tell me what happened. Why did you scream honey?"

Jack had forgotten about his nightmares past, when his survival instincts took control, but now they were back in the light and he could feel steady streams of beady liquid fall from his eyes.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Evelyn asked trying to figure out the cause of his scream. She wanted to help him, but Jack wasn't focusing on her anymore. Now his eyes darted between her three boys. "Would it be easier if the boys left?"

Jack's eyes drifted back to Evelyn. He thought about it for a moment and decided that he would give it a try. He nodded to Evelyn and backed himself on to his bed and against the wall. The three boys did leave, without even swearing or slamming a door. Jack was impressed, but he wouldn't get his hopes up. This could all be an act to get him to trust them and then they rip it all out from under him.

"I'll stay right here okay? I won't move from this spot if you don't want me too. Can you tell me what wrong though?"

"I'm fine." Jack said in a hushed voice. He was looking at his feet and not at Evelyn, but he had managed to stop the tears and the involuntary shaking.

"Was it a nightmare?" Evelyn continued, ignoring the bullshit answer he gave her.

Jack sat silently before slowly shaking his head yes.

"Was it about your past?"

Another head shake yes.

"Okay then I'll leave it at that. I won't pry if you're not ready to talk about it. But when you need to you can, alright? You can talk to me or any of the boys." Evelyn started to move forward, making Jack flinch and her stop moving. "It's okay Jack I'm just going to set your clean laundry on your bed and then I'll leave. I have breakfast ready for you. So when you're done you can come down when ever you fell like it. I can't wait to introduce you to Angel and Jerry."

With that, she laid his now clean clothes on his bed and left the room shutting the door behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Jack just sat there in awe. He should have gotten a beating. He should have been yelled at. He should have been told what a pussy he was for screaming and what a waste of life he was. They did none of those things though. Jack didn't know how to react to this. He didn't know what to do. No one had EVER treated him like that before.

He couldn't just sit there though, so he took the clean clothes Evelyn had washed for him and got dressed, carefully pulling his hoodie and shirt on. It hurt his back to bend down and put his pants on but he did it finally. Once he finished with that he placed his hood up so he could hide his face in the shadow. After he was done with that, he tip-toed his way down stairs and in to the kitchen where everyone else seemed to be. When Jack entered the kitchen all eyes turned to him and then turned back to their plates of food as if that whole scene upstairs had never happened. Jack didn't understand these people at all.

"There's a plate for you on the table Jackie. Go ahead and dig in." Evelyn said with a big smile on her face pointing to a seat next to an unfamiliar black boy.

Jack didn't dig in though. How did he know it wasn't poisoned? One of the first homes Jack had was with this really kind widow. Jack had learned to trust her. But he found himself continuously getting sicker. Well when he couldn't stop vomiting at school one day they called the ambulance and they discovered that he was being poisoned with bleach, threw his food. Ever since then he'd only eat when he was literally starving or when he saw the food being made.

"Something wrong kid? Don't like eggs or something?" Bobby asked. The other two boys stared at him waiting for a reply. Jack grew nervous by the boys all staring at him.

"Would you leave him alone boys?" She scolded them softly. Then she turned to Jack. "If you don't like eggs I can make you something else?"

Jack shook his head no.

"Jack, you have to eat something, you're nothing but skin and bones."

That was it. She was poisoning him. Why else would she insist on him eating? No one else had done that except the widow lady. Everyone else just said okay then starve or okay you don't have to eat. Or they just wouldn't feed him at all.

"It's not poisoned." Bobby stated matter of factly.

Jack looked down, ashamed that Bobby could read him so easily.

"Would you like me to try it so you know that it's not poisoned?" Evelyn said surprising Jack. His head shot up and gave her a look of confusion. He didn't think she would really do it, but she did. She took a big mouthful. "See, all good."

"You know she wasn't lying when she said she wasn't going to hurt you." Said one of the black boys sitting across the table.

"Angel, stop that." Evelyn said, just now realizing that Jack didn't know who the two knew people at the table were. "Oh, silly me I totally forgot my introductions." She pointed to one boy next to Jack. "This is Jerry and he's 17." Then she pointed to the boy across the table. "This is Angel and he's 16. And you know Bobby, he's 20. And everyone, this is Jack and he's 13."

"Hi Jack." Jerry said in a friendly tone.

"Hi." Jack replied almost inaudibly.

After everyone had finished eating, even Jack, they all, except Jack, headed in different directions. Angel out the front door, Jerry out the back door, Bobby in to the living room, and Jack stayed where he was.

"Jack?" Evelyn said getting his attention. "I have to go to work now okay? So I'm going to leave you here with Bobby. If you need me, tell Bobby and you can call me okay? Love you sweetie, good bye." And with that Evelyn left the house.

Not soon after he left did Bobby poke his head into the kitchen to see Jack just sitting at the table, staring at a spot on the floor. "Hey kid, you just gonna sit there or you wanna watch TV with me?" Bobby saw the kid jump, he had obviously just broken some train of thought for him and he felt sort of bad for scaring the kid, but he jumped at his own shadow. What was he supposed to do?

Bobby went back in to the living room to surf the channels, when not soon after, Jack followed sitting on the opposite end of the couch as him. Bobby noticed how tense the poor kid was, but he had to ask, it had been on his mind since the night before. "So kid what happened to your face?" Bobby watched Jack tense even further and watched how he began to close his hands in to fists. "Look it's nothing to be ashamed about. Here look." Bobby lifted his shirt up, revealing a 5 inch scar on the left side of his torso. Jack looked up, his eyes revealing slight curiosity. "I got this scar from one of my foster homes. Me and the man of that house got in a fight and he pulled out a blade." He let his shirt back down. "So see you're not the only one. Sides, I don't think that'll permanently scar. Maybe for like 4 years and then it'll go away." He paused, waiting for Jack to say something, but he didn't. Bobby let out a sigh. "Hey kid, why don't we go for a drive? I'll show you where things are as we drive by them. That sound good?"

Jack was hesitant before he shrugged. Shrugging was usually a good answer he thought, because if they didn't want to go and he shrugged then they would take it as a no. If they did want to go and he shrugged then they would take it as a yes. It usually worked out in Jack's favor.

Once Bobby and Jack were in the car and driving, silence took over the car. Bobby thought he was going to explode. All this silence was driving him crazy. He was about to say something when Jack surprised him by saying, "It was a fire poker." Bobby looked over at the kid. He was just staring out the window. Bobby had no idea what he was talking about though. A fire poker?

"What was a fire poker?" Bobby said confused.

"It's what made the scratch on my face." Jack said it so quietly that Bobby had to strain his hearing to understand him.

"Kid, I hate to break it to you but that is no scratch. That's what we call a gash. And a fire poker didn't do that to you, a seriously fucked up individual did that to you and they just happened to use a fire poker." Bobby let his eyes drift back to the road.

The car went back to silence for the next five minutes before Jack spoke out again.

"It was my fault." He said quietly.

"What was your fault? Being hit?"

Jack shook his head up and down, still staring out the window.

"How is it your fault?" Bobby asked getting angry. Not at Jack, but at the bastards that made him feel that way.

"I tried to leave."

"Why did you try to leave?"

Another long pause.

"Th-they…wouldn't let me out." Bobby noticed that Jack was beginning to shake slightly.

"Let you out of the house?" Bobby said gently, not wanting the kid to shut down on him.

Jack didn't respond.

"They wouldn't…They wouldn't let you out…of the closet?" Bobby forced the words out.

Jack slowly shook his head up and down.

"Well then it wasn't your fault." Bobby stated simply.

Jack turned and looked Booby dead in the face with a look of confusion.

Bobby let out a sigh. "If you were locked in a closet then they started it. No child or person on earth should be kept in a closet and abused like that." Bobby pointed at the bruises across Jack's face. "You had a right to want to leave. No one in there right mind would want to stay in a place like that."

A small tear escaped Jack's eyes and turned back to the window. Bobby didn't even point things out to him as they drove on. He just did a circle around the block and drove back home. When they got there, there was a cop car out front. Bobby jumped out of the car angrily. He hated the cops and them being at his house meant that someone did something they weren't supposed to do. Bobby was about to storm up to them when he noticed Jack hadn't left the car. He was staring with eyes of fury and anger at the cop car. It pleased Bobby to see that the kid shared the feeling of hatred towards the cops. At the same time though he didn't want Jack to make things any worse then what Bobby wanted to make them. So he went back over to the car and opened up Jack's door. The boy stutter stepped his way out of the car and up to the porch, wanting more than anything to just take off.

Bobby approached the cop who was standing on the steps of the house. "May I help you?" He said in a demeaning tone.

The sop turned to look at the infamous Bobby Mercer and the small kid next to him. The small kid looked familiar to him for some reason, but he couldn't place him. "I'm looking for Angel. Is he home?"

"No." Bobby said threw gritted teeth.

"How do you know that? You just got home."

"I know because I know. What do you want with him?"

The cop let out an aggravated sigh. "It's nothing big; we just need to know if he saw the shooting."

Bobby relaxed a little and asked curiously, "What shooting?"

"There was a shooting in the park yesterday involving drugs. Some other witnesses said that they saw Angel Mercer standing not to far from the scene. We don't think he was involved. We just think he might have gotten a better look at the situation."

"Okay, then Jack will you go inside and see if Angel's in there?"

Jack shook his head yes and disappeared into the house.

"Jack?" The officer said, more to himself then to Bobby. He realized why he had recognized the kid. He was the boss's kid.

"Yeah, what about him?" Bobby said suspiciously.

"Nothing, I just wasn't aware that you guys had a new addition to the family."

About three minutes later Jack came back out of the house with a blushed complexion and an angry half naked Angel who was being tailed by the one and only La Vida Loca.

Bobby let out a small laugh realizing what Jack had walked in on. Jack didn't look like he thought it was funny at all though.

"Angel, do you mind if I take you over to the side while I ask you some questions?" The cop asked.

Angel agreed and went off to the middle of the yard with the cop where there conversation couldn't be heard by the others. Bobby looked down at Jack and saw that his embarrassment was once again replaced with complete anger. His fists were clenched so tightly that Bobby thought they were going to start bleeding. He was about to ask the kid what was bothering him so much, when Angel and the cop walked back up to the rest of the group.

"I'll get your story checked out and I might have to come back and ask more questions, but for now we're done." The cop waved at the group by the stairs and uttered only a few last words that stood out to everyone there. "I'll see you later Jack Roberts." The cop gave a sinister smile as he said it.

Jack grew red with anger and did something none of the boys there would have thought such a timid and shy kid were capable of.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Jack launched himself at the cop throwing fists left and right skillfully avoiding the punches the cop tried to return. Once Bobby and Angel were able to comprehend what happened they raced over and attempted to pull Jack off of the cop, but even with the two men they couldn't keep the kid in their grip. He would slip out of their hands like putty and then right after throw punches like pro boxer.

Bobby knew that he was going to have to grab the kid with a hard grip and he knew that with the kids bruises and cuts it was going to hurt, but if he didn't Jack was going to kill the cop. That would not end well. So Bobby all but threw the kid off of the cop. He expected Jack to curl into a ball on the ground and whimper over his re-injured body. Instead Jack shot up from the ground, angry tears streaming from his eyes. He launched himself at the cop again, but this time Angel and Bobby caught him and pinned him against the ground. Jack let out a small grunt of pain, but was still struggling to get up and fight.

"What the fuck was that Cracker Jack?" Bobby said kneeling on the ground next to Jack while the cop on the ground about ten feet away was in a sitting position on the ground having a fit about his broken nose.

Jack didn't answer; he just glared at Bobby with a fury Bobby had never seen before. This kid was seriously pissed and Bobby had no idea why.

"How did you know the kids last name?" Angel asked to the cop who was still crying over his bloody face.

"I picked the kid up from one of his fathers. I was one of the first cops to the scene." The cop said in a nasally voice.

Bobby cringed at the way the cop referred to it as a scene. What exactly had Jack gone through?

"Bullshit!" Jack said in a low and venomous tone, surprising everyone.

"Bullshit, what Jack?" Angel asked calmly.

"That bastard was there." Jack said glaring at the cop again.

"We know that Jack, he just said that." Bobby said impatiently.

Jack looked back at Bobby. "He was there three times before anyone ever called the cops."

Bobby turned and gave a threatening look at the cop who had quickly risen to his feet.

"What do you mean?" Bobby asked trying to get the story right.

"I mean," Jack's voice rose and turned icy. "That bastard came to the house and paid to beat the living shit out of a nine-year-old!!!"

Bobby whipped around and was about to plant a fist in the cops face when the man raised a gun.

"Don't even think about it Mercer. Jack was in a near death situation when we found him. He probably saw me before he passed out and associated me with the people who hurt him." The cop said defensively.

The cop slowly backed up to his cruiser and jumped in and locked the doors. He cracked windows slightly and said to Bobby. "Hypothetically, if I did do something to Jack, there would be no way to prove it now." Before Bobby could say anything else the cops sped off down the street.

Jack was breathing erratically and was shaking so hard that Angel had to let go of him so that Jack wouldn't hurt himself against Angels grip. Jack slowly rose to his feet, eyes locked on the ground, letting his hair and hoodie cover his face.

"Jack?" Angel asked, cautiously stepping closer.

Jack's head shot up and looked at Angel fearfully, which made Angel stand still again.

"Jack, I'm not going to hurt you." Angel said gently.

Angel saw the look in his eyes and knew that Jack wanted to trust him, wanted to believe him, but he couldn't, like he wasn't letting himself. He knew that was just Jack's instinct kicking in. He knew that when in the system you learn quickly not to trust anyone. This kid had just been doing it for so long that trusting someone was just out of the question.

"Jack." Bobby said in a calm firm voice. "We'll get him."

Jack turned to look at Bobby, tears still streaming down his blood spattered face.

"We'll have to wait until there will be no suspicion of it being us, but we will get him for what he did to you."

Jack looked at Bobby like he was playing a mean trick on him. Then his eyes turned stoic and he walked back to the house.

Bobby and Angel just watched him leave. They wanted to go after him, but they knew that would only make things worse.

"Bobby? We can't kill a cop man." Angel said rubbing the back of his head.

"Yes we can. We just have to make sure that the cop is on a serious drug case for awhile. Then when we kill him it'll look like a drug dealer got him. Okay?" Bobby said firmly.

Angel looked at him skeptically and let out a sigh. "What ever you say bro."

When Evelyn got home at around 9:00pm Angel and Bobby were sitting on the couch, Angel with his arm around the Latino girl that Jack had in on Angel with. They were all watching a game of hockey.

"Hi boys. Hi Sofi." She said to the Latino girl. "Where's Jack?"

Bobby and Angel looked at each other. "Ma," Bobby said. "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course honey. Is everything okay?" She asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Yeah it's just about something that happened today." Bobby said as he followed his mother into the kitchen to discuss the newest Mercer.

**Meanwhile**

Jack had jumped out of the window of his room. He was a tough kid and landed the second story jump easily. Jack knew where he needed to go. He needed to be numb and there was only one way to do that. He needed drugs. Anything would work. He didn't care what it was. Besides he had needed a fix for a while now. He had been around these parts of Detroit before so he knew his usual spot. He was able to pit pocket a few people and came up with a little over 100 bucks. That was plenty to get a few laced joints.

When he got to the park he headed straight for the bathrooms. He knew that at this time of night Vick would be selling. So when he entered the bathroom he wasn't overly surprised to see four other people all much older than him. Vick was helping one of them and the other three were waiting to be dealed to. Jack just stood in the corner and waited patiently, keeping his head down and carefully making sure that his hood covered his face. Suddenly Jack felt someone jerk his arm forward causing pain from his past foster home's injuries. Jack winced, but kept his head down and didn't make a sound. He carefully looked up past his hood to see who he was dealing with.

"Hey kid, you got any money on ya?" Jack didn't feel too threatened. It was just an older woman who had obviously been deprived of drugs for a while.

"Not for you I don't." Jack said sternly.

Just then a man came up behind the woman and put a rough hand on her shoulder. The woman curled in to the man's grasp and started crying on him. He looked just a drug deprived as the woman did. Jack was suddenly feeling a little threatened.

"He giving you attitude Mary?" He asked gruffly.

The woman just shook her head, still crying. The man gently pulled the woman off of him and behind her. "I believe she asked if she could barrow some money. So hand it over." He demanded.

Jack was in no mood and wasn't feeling like loosing his drug money. If he lost it, he would start showing signs of withdrawal and he couldn't let the people at his new foster home see that.

"No, I won't hand it over." Jack said with a flare of rage in his eyes. Unfortunately the man couldn't see his eyes because of the hood and the poor lighting in the place.

"What did you say to me you little brat?!" The man hissed, throwing a fist in to Jack's stomach making him double over and grunt in pain.

Then the man quickly grabbed Jack by the back of the neck and threw him against the wall. Jack did his best to keep his head down so the man wouldn't see his vulnerability through past wounds.

"You trying to hide that look of fear in your eyes kid? Well I don't think I'll allow that. I want to see the pain in your eyes when I beet the living shit out of you for back talking my woman." The man pulled back Jack's hood and just looked at Jack in shock for a second before he reared his fist back and nailed Jack across his stitched up cheek, breaking some of the stitches and making it bleed. Jack let out a whimper and fell to the ground. The man raised his fist again, but this time someone grabbed his arm and spun him around nailing him in the face.

"Get the fuck out of here Frank! You and your bitch never have money for me and yet you come back all the time and harass my real costumers and I loose business. Now get the fuck out!" Jack looked up and saw that it was Vick. Jack liked Vick. He had turned away a bully for him more than once. Jack actually trusted Vick, well more than he trusted anyone else.

Vick knelt down and helped Jack back to his feet. "You okay Jackie?" He said in a soft tone. Vick hadn't seen Jack in a few days and had started worrying that one of his homes had finally done him in. Vick was glad to see he was still alive. Vick had always had a soft spot for Jack. He was dealing with one of his foster fathers and every time he saw the man he always has a scared little, bruised up Jack with him. Vick hated people who abused their kids, but he kept his mouth shut. He finally decided to draw the line when he realized that the guy was making the kid shoot up and then he would sell him out to his buddies. He killed the guy and the kid went back into the system. Jack had found his way back to Vick though and would feed the addiction that his foster father started. Vick felt sorry for the kid and did whatever he could to make his life easier, like beating up the bully druggies that came by every now and then.

"Thanks Vick." Jack said wiping the blood that was rapidly streaming down his face, only to smear it over his face and arm.

"Let's get you cleaned up kid. Come one." He grabbed a paper towel and wet it, telling Jack to hold it against the gash across his face.

Once Jack had something to help absorb the blood, but not completely stop it, he bought some laced joints that Vick had already put together.

Jack was just leaving, blood streaming through the paper towel, when Vick called for him telling him to hold up.

"Jack I'm a little worried about Frank, the man you saw before. He's been known to wait around and mug the people that come out of here. Let me drive you home. Or at least a few blocks away. Is that okay?" Vick said hoping Jack would make his life easier and say yes.

"What about your other buyers?" Jack said.

"I've already dealt my regulars, there's no use in waiting around for the others." Vick said reassuringly.

Jack agreed and once he got into Vick's car he started smoking up. Vick drove around for about an hour and a half getting Jack sober enough to go home.

"That your house Jack?" Vick said pointing down the street to a brick house.

"Yeah, I'll get out here." Jack said.

"Okay, and hey if you need somewhere to go, you know where I live."

Jack nodded and shoved two out of four remaining joints into his pocket as he watched Vick drive away.

Jack entered the house as quietly as possible and started to walk up the stairs.

"Where the fuck have you been?!" Jack jumped when he heard Bobby yelling at him from behind.

Jack spun around quickly and noticed how Bobby's eyes grew big and Angel and Jerry entered the room, their eyes also growing wide. _What the fuck are they staring at?_ Jack thought a little annoyed.

"Who the hell did that to your face?" Bobby said getting angrier.

Jack had forgotten to put his hoodie back on when he took it off at the bathrooms to clean the blood off it. His face probably looked like something from a horror movie.

"Answer the question Jack." Jerry said gently.

"It's nothing." Jack knew that was a pathetic reply but he couldn't think of a good enough excuse.

"Not this again! That is not nothing. Some one obviously kicked your ass. I'm asking who!?" Bobby yelled making Evelyn walk into the room to stand behind her boys.

"Bobby stop, you don't have to yell." Evelyn said calmly. Then she turned to Jack and inched in front of her boys giving Jack a good look over. "Jack honey, are you high?"

The three boys looked surprised and then looked at Jack real hard and then their eyes turned to disappointment. Jack hated that look. It made him furious.

"Jack I understand that you're going threw a lot, but drugs and fighting is not the right path to take." Evelyn said taking another step closer to Jack.

The woman just assumed that he had willingly gotten in to the fight. It wasn't his fault he didn't initiate it, but she wouldn't care what he said. Everyone just labeled him a pathetic lost cause, like the looser he was.

"What the fuck could you possibly understand?! Do you know what it's like to be within inches of your life? Do you know what it's like to be kept in a cage? Do you know what it's like to be passed around to your daddy's friends? No! I didn't think so! So shut the FUCK up!!!" Jack screamed, tears unwillingly falling from his eyes and stinging his wound. He surprised himself and immediately backed down when he realized what he had just said. He was for sure getting a beating this time. He backed up and let out a whimper.

Four pairs of eyes stared up at him with pity and surprise written on their faces.

"Jack baby, I'm sorry, I didn't know you felt that way. I only want to help you sweetie. Can you trust me? Look at me Jackie. Can you trust me?" Evelyn said as Jack looked straight at her and looked at her like she was crazy.

"Why aren't you ever mad?" Jack said, blood that had spilled from his wound spitting out of his mouth.

The boys let out a small chuckle and Evelyn gave them a disapproving look that shut them up. "Jack I've found that when people get mad they act irrationally and do things they later regret. And so far you really haven't even done anything to upset me more than what these boys have done." She paused for a second. "So can you give me a chance and trust me enough to doctor your gash?"

Jack looked at her for a second considering the possibilities. He cautiously nodded and allowed Evelyn to lead him up the stairs and in to the bathroom where she carefully took out the remaining stitches and cleaned his wound so it wouldn't get infected. She carefully rubbed salve over is and then she taped gauze to his face.

"Are you tired Jackie?" She asked concerned.

Jack nodded a sad and lost gaze in his eyes.

"Okay baby, lets get you in some more comfortable clothes and then I'll see you to bed okay?"

Evelyn Waited outside of Jack's room until she gave her the okay to come in. When she did she noticed that Jack had started to silently cry again and looked just so pathetic standing there looking so, so lost. Evelyn slowly walked over to him and embraced him in a gentle hug, so she wouldn't hurt his bruises and other injuries he might have. At that point Jack had started with full on sobs. Evelyn led him over to the bed where she let him lye his head in her lap and just let it all out. Bobby, Jerry, and Angel came to the door after about 15 minutes to see if everything was okay. Evelyn just waved them off telling them it was all fine.

An hour later, Jack had finally cried himself to sleep. Evelyn carefully replaced her lap with a pillow and tucked him in. He looked so small and helpless, it tore at her heart that people could actually cause harm to such a sweet little angel.

Evelyn quietly exited the room and shut the door behind her. When she turned around she saw that all three of her boys were sitting against the wall next to Jack's door. She let out a small giggle.

"He okay ma?" Bobby asked concerned.

"Probably not. It surprised me when he let loose like that on the stairs. I'm actually relieved. I think he's starting to open up a little. We'll deal with everything else as it comes. For now, I want you boys to get to bed, I'm tired, so we can discuss things later if needed. Okay?" Evelyn said with a tired smile on her face.

"Alright ma." Jerry said, as they all stood.

"Good night boys." and at that they all headed off to their rooms and tried their hardest to get to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The next morning Jack woke up in a cold sweat. He had, had a nightmare and it wasn't all that pleasant. He pushed his memories of his past in the far corner of his mind and got up to go to the bathroom. When he reached the bathroom he made sure to lock the door behind him. He turned around and went to the sink, removing his bandage carefully, and then splashed cold water in his face. When he looked up he was greeted by his pathetic face. He looked like shit and his wound had started bleeding again, but not like gushing just little drizzles. He quickly turned away from the mirror unable to look at his weak self. He hated seeing how weak and vulnerable he was.

Jack jumped about 3 feet in the air when he heard someone try and open the door, twisting the handle. "Jack, is that you? Look dog, I gotta pee can I have the bathroom?" He heard Angel say in an antsy voice.

Jack slowly opened the door and quickly exited the room to have Angel practically run in and slammed the door shut causing Jack to jump again. He was never going to get used to this hectic house.

Jack walked down stairs as quietly as he could and in to the living room where he what down on one of the chairs. The TV was already on and he seemed to be watching Good Times. Not soon after Jack had figured out what he was watching did Bobby walk in with a beer in hand. Bobby ignored the fact that Jack was in the room and collapsed on the coach. Jack on the other hand noticed Bobby very easily and tensed at the thought that Bobby might be mad at Jack for last night's outburst and high.

They sat in complete silence until the show ended. When that happened, Bobby turned his attention to Jack. "So you never did tell me who hit you." Bobby said, trying to figure out who had hurt his soon to be adopted baby brother.

Jack gave Bobby a blank stare that made even Bobby uncomfortable before Jack's eye reverted back to the ground. "Look kid you're not in trouble or anything, I just kinda want to talk to the guy who did that to you." Bobby felt his fists clench when he saw that the kids face was bleeding a little bit.

"Someone already took care of 'em, its fine." Jack said in a flat tone that was almost inaudible.

Bobby raised an eyebrow. "And who did that?"

"I don't know." Jack replied, obviously lying.

They were silent again before Bobby forgot about him coming home high. "I went threw your jean pockets and I found some laced joints in them." Jack's face grew deathly pale and he shuddered. "Care to explain where you got those from?" Bobby pressed.

"No, not really?" Jack said through gritted teeth.

"Where'd you get the money for shit like that?" Bobby asked accusingly. "You been stealing from Ma?"

Jack's head shot up and he glared at Bobby catching him off guard. "I wouldn't steel from her." He said venomously.

Bobby was surprised at how defensive the kid had gotten, but he could tell that he was telling the truth. "You steel from someone else?"

Jack calmed down and seemed to go back to being scared again. "Maybe." He said shakily.

"You know never again will you be able to leave this house without me, Angel, or Jerry accompanying you?" Bobby said matter of factly.

"Why?" Jack asked getting angry again. He needed his fix and if he couldn't get out of the house he was screwed.

"No one is allowed to bring drugs in to my Ma's house."

Jack felt himself to start to panic. With out his fix he was a goner. Even when he was in the hospital or in a group home, Vick had connections that could easily provide him with his needs.

"Look it'll be hard at first, but it'll get better." Bobby said noticing the look of panic cross Jack's face.

"What'll get better?" Jack said his voice cracking.

"The withdrawal."

Jack shuddered at the idea. Two days was pushing his limits of going clean and this mother fucker was talking about life. Shit he was screwed.

**A Week Later**

Bobby looked over at Jack who was still going threw withdrawal and was sitting on the opposite side of the couch next to Ma. It wasn't as extreme as it had been, but he was still throwing up and having small tremors non-stop. He felt bad for the kid. He remembered when Angel went threw withdrawal. It wasn't nearly this bad though. Angel only ever took weed. Jack told Evelyn that he had tried Meth, all sorts of prescription pills, heroine, acid once, weed, and all sorts of other shit. This kid was seriously fucked up. Bobby wished he could help, but he just didn't know how to handle this. He just let Ma take care of it. Angel and Jerry were in the exact situation as Bobby. They were both sitting in chairs pretending to watch the hockey game, but Bobby could tell they were both actually focusing their attention on Jack. It was 1 in the morning and none of them were able to sleep because, one; Jack could easily run off for drugs if they all went to sleep, and two; he was shaking so bad he couldn't fall asleep. The boys stayed up as moral support for their tired mother who had spent every waking moment with Jack.

All of a sudden there was a huge noise and there front door came crashing down. All three boys stood up ready to defend there selves, Bobby pulling out a gun. The first thing they saw were five men enter holding guns. Neither side took a shot. Evelyn was on the couch cradling Jack who could very easily see over her shoulder. When he recognized one of the men he wrenched himself from Evelyn's loving grip and ignored the three boys yells for him to stop, running over to the man and embracing him in a friendly hug. The man kept his gun raised, but hugged Jack back.

"Who the fuck is that Jackie?" Bobby said furiously.

Jack had forgotten that they were both pointing guns at each other. "Bobby it's okay, this is Vick. He's the one who took care of the guy that hit me awhile back." Both sides hesitantly lowered their guns.

Vick looked Jack over and saw how shaky he was. He didn't appear to have any new bruises on his face and his stitches had been removed, but Jack was very good at hiding things like that from him. "Jack are you okay?" He said concerned.

Jack nodded his head. "I could use a fix though." he said desperately.

"Oh no you don't." Bobby said loudly, taking quick steps toward Jack.

Vick raised his gun up at Bobby making Bobby draw quickly.

"What the fuck?" Bobby said with fury as Vick drew a joint from his pocket. "We have spent a week's time trying to clean him of that and here you go fucking it all up again!"

Vick hesitated in giving the joint to Jack, making Jack's tremors worse. "Jack? Have they been keeping you clean of this?"

Jack nodded his head slowly, wondering if his answer depended on weather or not he got his fix.

"Did they hurt you in any way while doing it?" Vick said seriously.

"No." Jack said, his voice shaking from the tremors.

Vick gave him a skeptical look. "Are you lying to me?" Jack shook his head no. "Can you show me?"

"What the hell you pervert?!" Bobby wanted to pull out the guys jugular for asking his brother something like that. He was obviously only trying to get Jack out of his clothes. He didn't care if Jack was bruised or not.

"Bobby." Evelyn scolded, now standing right next to Bobby putting a hand over his, forcing him to lower the gun. Bobby was about to say something, but Evelyn cut him off and turned to watch Jack.

Jack, without hesitation removed his shirt. Bobby was stunned. He trusted this apparent drug dealer, but not him or his brothers. That seemed messed up to Bobby.

Vick looked over Jack carefully before deciding that there were no NEW cuts, scars, bruises, or burns. "Jack I'm not going to ask you to remove your pants, but you have to tell me if they hurt you anywhere else." He said in a serious, but encouraging tone.

Jack twitched at what Vick had implied that the Mercer's might have done to him. "No they didn't I'm serious." he said firmly. All he wanted was the drugs.

To his grave disappointment Vick put the drugs back in his pocket. "What are you doing!? I need that!!" Jack screamed lunging at Vick's pockets. Before he could get a hold of them Bobby had grabbed him around the waist and had his arms crossed over his chest and was restraining him tightly against his own chest and sitting them both on the ground, Jack in Bobby's lap so he couldn't kick Bobby in the balls or anything.

"Jack you need to calm down." Bobby said calmly as he could to the screaming and struggling boy.

"No I need it I need it now!!" Jack yelled having out of control tremors.

Evelyn approached Vick who had told his boys to go wait outside. Jerry and Angel went and stood on either side of their mother. They didn't quite trust Vick. "Who are you? And how do you know Jack? He seems to trust you a lot." She questioned.

Vick explained his story about how he met Jack. Evelyn praised him. She knew that most drug dealers wouldn't have done that because killing the guy meant loosing a profit. Even her boys gave him looks of surprise that he would do that.

"The only reason I kept giving him the drugs was because most of his foster homes thought of him as a burden as it was and withdrawal would only make the kids situations worse. So when I hadn't seen him in a week it scared me and I thought his new family had gone overboard and killed him. I have connections in the hospitals and social services that give me updates on him and give him drugs when he can't get to me. When I asked them if they had seen him and they hadn't, I thought he was dead." Vick tried to explain himself.

"I understand. It seems like you had a good reason to be suspicious." Evelyn said sympathetically.

By that time Jack had calmed down, but in all the fuss, made himself sick so he had to run upstairs to the bathroom to upchuck. That's when Bobby stood. He had some how managed to hear Vick's story over Jack's screaming. Bobby marched up to Vick threateningly. "If you ever, come in to this house like that again, carrying a gun and pointing it at MY mother. Then I'll kick your ass and put lead in that thick skull of yours." Bobby said seething with anger.

Vick didn't so much as flinch at his threat. "And if you ever so much as lay a harmful finger on the kid then I'll make your life a living hell. And trust me. I do have those connections." He said glaring at Bobby just as hard as Bobby had done to him.

"Vick," Evelyn said standing in between the two men. "If it would make you feel better you could come by and check on Jack. Just can you not bring your gang and the guns? And maybe knock first." Evelyn suggested with a big smile on her face.

Vick could tell that Jack was in good hands this time. He let out a small laugh at Evelyn's humor. "Yes ma'am. I'm sorry for the inconvenience." He handed a wad of bills to Bobby. "For the door." He said referring to the slightly splintered door on the ground. "Oh, and You." He motioned for Bobby to come over to the door where Vick was about to exit from. "I should warn you. There's talk that Jack's dad is in town and has word where Jack is. I don't know if you know this, they probably didn't put it in his file, but his father pretty much changed his identity and Jack accidentally ended up back with his father through the foster system. He was there for two years before anyone noticed. He got removed only three years ago. I would have killed the bastard, but Jack keeps most everything to himself and I didn't notice." Vick looked like he was mad at himself for not noticing what had been going on. "Just be careful. This guy always gets his way. And he'll do anything necessary."

"I'll keep a real close eye on him, tell the few close boys I got to watch out, and my brothers Angel and Jerry will have a tight eye on Jack as well. Names Bobby by the way." Bobby said in an all serious tone.

"I got informants all over the place that are keeping me updated. If I get anymore news I'll get someone to tell you. My names Vick."

After a little more talking Vick left and Bobby went upstairs to where his mom was comforting Jack who was still puking over the porcelain seat.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Jack had fallen asleep after the continuous purging in the toilet leaving Evelyn and the boys at the dining room table. They sat in silence for a little while before Angel spoke out. "Ma, I think this one might be a little over our heads."

Bobby shot him a nasty look. "So what do you wanna do? Just send him back into the system and let his father get him again?!" Bobby said incredulously.

Three pairs of eyes shot his way, curiosity blooming in each one. Bobby had forgotten that Vick only told him about Jack's father.

"Bobby what are you talking about?" Bobby made a hesitant face to his mother. "Bobby if you know something about Jack then you need to tell us." Evelyn said smoothly.

"Well, Ma, you read Jack's file right?"

"Of course."

"Do you remember reading about a foster home he was removed from about three years ago? He had been there for two years." Bobby tried to see if they had least mentioned it in the file and when he saw his mothers face go white, he figured they had.

"I do recall, and that home was one that even I don't want to go into extreme detail about." Evelyn said shaking her head sadly.

"Well did the file say that his father by blood was the one who had him for those two years?" Bobby said clenching his fists under the table.

Evelyn's expression grew dark. The boys couldn't believe it. They had only seen that expression on their mother one other time and that was when a cop beat up Jeremiah because he was black and walking the streets late at night.

"The file said that the foster parent of that house was classified. I assumed that it was a cop and they didn't want anyone to know. Those sons of bitches." Evelyn cussed rarely, but when she did, she meant it.

"Ma," Jerry said softly, standing and putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "How bad was it?"

Evelyn recomposed herself and let the spite in her drain away and replaced it with sadness for Jack. "It was bad Jerry. Unimaginable things happened to that pore boy. His back and torso bare horrible scars, which will most likely be there for the rest of his life." She paused and took a deep breathe. "He had been sexually abused by the foster parent and he had been passed around. Getting information from Jack was near impossible so we still don't know everything that happened, but some of it they were able to piece together through the medical facts. The sexual abuse was almost daily, the physical abuse was everyday. He had been whipped, like with a horse whip, a belt, chains, wires, anything those monsters could basically get their hands on. When they found him, he did not react well to the light. Turns out he was kept in the basement. What they found in the basement was the most disturbing." Evelyn had started crying softly. Jerry got up and handed her a box of tissues.

"It's okay Ma, just remember that he's here now and he's never gonna go through that ever again." Bobby said reassuringly.

"Thanks sweetie." She took another deep breathe and continued. "In the basement they found basically a torture room. There were chains, a dog crate were Jack had been kept, a bed in the corner, there were drug needles on the floor, and a ton of other things that had been used to hurt Jack. When they found Jack, he was tied to a pipe on the ceiling by his hands. They were tied with thin metal wires that had been wrapped around his hands numerous times making his wrists bleed. There was a chair under him so that he wasn't just dangling there, but it was only barely in reach, so he had to stand on his toes. He had been tied like that, because they had used him as a punching bag. Broken rids, numerous fractures, everything in and outside of his body had basically been shredded."

"How did his social worker not notice?" Angel asked angrily.

"The bastard didn't check up on Jack like he was supposed to. That man was fired and had charges of neglect pressed on him." Evelyn said reaching for another tissue.

"How did his father not get caught?" Jerry asked.

"Apparently someone tipped him off that the cops were investigating him for drug sales and the man ditched leaving the house and the kid to one of his friends. That guy went to jail, but had no information as to where the guy had gone." Evelyn explained.

"Damn…" Jerry said.

"Ma, Vick said that his father's got word of where Jack is and wants him back." Bobby said right to the point.

Evelyn's eyes grew wide in terror.

Bobby held his hands up. "Don't give me that look Ma. I'm not gonna let that fucker get his hands on Cracker Jack."

"Bobby, please be careful. I know you'll deal with this, but I don't want to lose any of you. Okay?" She begged him.

"Ma, we can handle ourselves and we got each others backs. Don't worry." Angel reassured her.

Before anything else could be said, they heard a blood curdling scream coming from Jack's room. They all ran up the stairs with a record time speed and into Jack's room. Evelyn was the first in the room, then Bobby, Jerry and Angel stayed in the door way.

Jack was in the corner of the room with his legs curled into his chest, his head buried in his knees, and his arms pressed over his head.

"Jackie, honey, are you okay?" Evelyn asked worriedly.

Jack let out a small whimper, shaking profusely.

Evelyn reached out and put a gentle hand on one of Jack's trembling hands. That was a bad idea.

Jack screamed louder and started lashing out, kicking and hitting anything he could while still on the ground in the corner.

Bobby quickly moved Evelyn out of the way before she got caught in the way of one of Jack's fists. Once Evelyn was out of Jack's reach, standing by Angel and Jerry, he turned around to figure out how to approach Jack. When he looked harder at the kid he noticed that his eyes were still shut. The kid was dreaming. Or more like having a nightmare.

Bobby saw an opening and grabbed Jack around the waist, pulling his back against him and folded Jack's flailing arms over his chest, keeping his body restricted.

"Please, I'm sorry." Jack begged in a pained whisper. Struggling the best he could. "Don't hurt me, please." Jack cried out, still asleep.

"Jack!" Bobby yelled. "Jack wake up its Bobby!"

Jack's eyes shot open, his struggles stopped, Bobby let go of him. Jack ran forward a few feet and stood there, breathing rapidly and hard sobs escaping him. He was shaking all over and it wasn't because of his withdrawal.

Evelyn got nearer to him. "Jack? Are you okay?" She asked in a soft whisper.

Jack didn't answer. He just stood there facing away from everyone. Evelyn got closer to him, standing right in front of him. He didn't even seem to register that she was there; it was like he had pulled away from the world and receded into himself. Evelyn slowly embraced him into a firm, but gentle hug. At first he struggled a little and tense up. Then as Evelyn soothed him with her kind words he slowly came back out of his shell and began crying harder falling to his knees, still in Evelyn's embrace. She hugged him and rocked him back and forth.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry…I'm sorry." Jack kept whispering through sobs.

"There's nothing to be sorry for Jackie, you did nothing wrong." Evelyn said still rocking him.

After about an hour of that Jack had stopped the sobbing and shaking and was now just silently crying. Evelyn kept him in her embrace, but was able to get him to stand and they both walked over to sit on the bed. Angel and Jerry had headed to their rooms, but Bobby still stood in the door.

"Jackie honey, what happened?" Evelyn asked him.

Jack didn't answer.

"Jack, you can trust me. I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."

Jack looked up and stared directly in to her eyes. The look of desperation and fear mixed in the boy's eyes wrenched at her heart, but she kept strong.

"He…he came back." Jack said quietly.

"Who Jackie?"

Jack looked back down at the ground before he replied. "My…f-father." Jack began crying a little harder again.

Evelyn held him tighter, glancing at Bobby, who looked seriously pissed to hear Jack mention that monster.

"Jack he's not coming back, he's gone." She comforted him.

"No!" Jack screamed in anger. "He's not. He's following me, I know he is." His voice trailed off into a smaller decibel.

Bobby stood up straight and sat Indian style in front of Jack, blocking his view at the ground. "Jack, have you seen him?" Bobby asked in all seriousness.

Jack shook his head from side to side.

"Then why do you think he's following you?" Evelyn asked.

"His people, and that cop." He choked out.

Bobby buried his anger and proceeded to ask Jack more questions. "If you see one of them, can you tell me, or Jerry, or whoever is with you at the time?"

Jack shook his head from side to side again.

"Why not?" Bobby questioned.

"Be-because if they see that I'm telling y-you that they're there, th-then they'll take me." Jack started sobbing.

"Well then let's make a signal, okay?" Bobby suggested. "How bout every time you see them, you tug on my jacket."

"That's….to easy to see as a s-s-signal." He replied.

"How bout…you trip?" Bobby said with a small smirk on his face.

Jack looked at him quizzically. Then a small smile came across his face. It was sad, yet grateful.

"Okay then." Bobby said standing up and walking to the door. "And Jack? No one is going to get you. You're safe with the Mercer boys. I promise." And with that Bobby left the room while Evelyn got Jack back into bed, exiting the room only awhile after Bobby did.

The next few hours in the house remained peaceful as everyone slept. They slept a calm sleep where problems and nightmares didn't dare enter. Only dreams floated through the heads of the Mercer family during that time of sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Jackie?" Evelyn's kind voice called out. "Wake up honey."

Jack's eyes shot open, fear setting in at first, but once he realized where he was and that it was only Evelyn, he calmed down.

"Are you okay?" She asked a little worried about his frightened expression.

"Y-yeah." He answered, while sitting up and rubbing a hand threw his hair.

"Well, why don't you come on down stairs? I've got breakfast set up. Bobby's in the shower, but Angel and Jerry are down there. Come down when you're dressed okay?"

Jack nodded and Evelyn gave him a bright smile and left the room carefully shutting the door behind her. Jack let out a long sigh. His tremors were pretty much gone, just shaky hands now.

Jack stood up drowsily and got dressed fairly quickly, just in case Angel and Jerry were waiting to eat until he got down there. He like them, but he still had a hard time believing that they wouldn't ever let loose on him once in a while. The only ones he trusted in the house were Evelyn and Bobby. Mostly Evelyn, but he was sure that Bobby would protect him from anything. Angel and Jerry usually just kept their distance. They were friendly and you'd think that almost two weeks time they would have said more to him, but they didn't.

When Jack entered the kitchen all eyes turned to him, Including Bobby who's hair was still wet from the shower. They were all sitting at the table eating. Jack felt uncomfortable with all the eyes on him and just stood there in the doorway.

"Come and take a seat little man." Bobby said pointing to a chair next to Jerry.

Jack did as he was told and sat down as Evelyn got up to get him a plate of food and a glass of milk.

"So Jack," Evelyn said as she placed the plate in front of Jack and sat back down. "I know that now may not be the best time for this, but school starts in a few weeks and I want you to know that you'll be attending."

Jack's gaze shot up from his plate too stare in horror at Evelyn. He heard Bobby chuckle at the look on his face and his look of horror turned to a glare at Bobby.

"Sorry Cracker Jack, but I don't know why you gave her that look. I mean, school is no picnic, but it's not like it'll kill you." Bobby said, still with an amused smile on his face.

Jack's look turned from Bobby and went distant, causing Bobby's smile to fade quickly. Any idiot could see that there was something seriously upsetting him about school.

"Jack what's wrong baby? I know you haven't been to school a whole lot, but I'm sure you'll catch up quickly." Evelyn reassured him.

"No, I'm not worried about that. I've read enough to know more then those dumb ass's in school." Jack hissed.

"I'll be at school with you Jack." Angel said. No one knew why that would matter, but Jack seemed to look up with hope in his eyes. So they just watched to see what Angel was doing. "I'll be with you in the halls, lunch if we set it up right, and I'll be waiting for you when you get out."

A tear escaped Jack's eyes, but the rest of the table still had no idea what was going on between Angel and Jack. That is, except for Evelyn. She caught on and just smiled sympathetically for her son who was taking charge better than what she could've hoped.

"But…" Jack said before Angel held up a hand and cut him off.

"No Jack. Your dad won't be able to come within three feet on you without be being right there to kick his barbaric ass. Okay?" Angel said firmly.

Jerry realized what his little brother was getting at and jumped in to help. "Yeah, me too Jackie. One of us or both of us will be with you every second until they catch him."

Jack nodded and let one more tear escape before he and the rest of the table continued eating.

After they all finished eating, Evelyn and Angel rushed off to work, Jeremiah went to go help his girlfriend Camille move into her new apartment, and that left him and Bobby there by themselves.

"So…Jack, what do you wanna do today?" Bobby asked in complete boredom.

"Honestly, I would just love to have a smoke." Jack said desperately his hands shaking a little bit more at the thought of the nicotine.

Bobby looked at him like he was mad. "Kid, Ma would skin me alive if she caught me giving you cancer sticks. Sides, we just weaned you off the drugs and you're wanting more?"

"First of all, cigs are not drugs, second Evelyn won't even know, third I'm dying to have one and if you don't get them for me I'm going to figure out how and when I do I'll easily have access to more than just cigs." Jack said loosing his temper.

Bobby was stunned. This kid was completely unpredictable and Bobby didn't like that. He and his brothers were easy to predict. Angel was always laid back and was extremely cunning when he used his head and the time called. Jerry never got mad and when he did, he did it with a calm but threatening tone that would've scared Hitler into backing off. And he was always thinking about the right thing to do. I got a little annoying. Out of the three of them though, Bobby considered himself to be the most predictable. He basically had a default setting and it was set on pissed. His only other trait, in his opinion, was that he was REALLY good at sarcasm. Jack baffled him though. One minute he was a crying mess, then he was a timid stoic little kid, and then this. This pissed off rage that would just roll of his body. Bobby never knew how to react.

"Look Jackie, you're too young to be hanging out with Puff the Dragon, okay?"

Jack's eyes grew livid with rage, a kind of rage that made Bobby Mercer himself nervous. "You are not too young when you've been through the things I have, so don't go there. I'm just asking for something that just happens to release my stress. And I hate to break it too you, but if I wanted too, I could figure a way outa here to get what I need. It's all I could do to not blow up with Evelyn around okay? So PLEASE don't make this hard on me?!" Jack was fuming at this point and Bobby was starting to get fed up with his bossy attitude.

"Look kid, I know you've been through a lot. I'm not testing that subject. But under no circumstances do you try and threaten me with leaving, because I know that if you knew a way to get out of here without anyone noticing you would've when your withdrawal was at its high." Jack was now on his knees, his arms crossed over his chest crying and Bobby realized that the cigarette wasn't what Jack was so upset about. He was just putting that up as an excuse to lash out.

"I'm sorry. I don't…I don't know why I…"

"I do." Bobby interrupted. He kneeled down to Jack's level on the floor and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Look, I know you're stressed and I know you're in a very extreme emotional state right now, but you can over come it. I promise."

Jack looked Bobby in the eye, looking for truth. He was utterly surprised to find that there wasn't so much as a hint of a lie. "You mean it?" Jack said to confirm what he saw in his eyes.

"Yeah Jackie, of course I do." Bobby said while helping Jack up from the ground and ushering him over to the couch.

Bobby let out a deep sigh and fished into his pockets pulling out a carton of cigarettes. "If you get caught and you tell Ma where you got these, I'll be royally pissed." Bobby said holding them out to Jack with a smile on his face.

Jack gave him a grateful look and pulled out a stick. "Thanks Bobby."

Bobby rummaged threw his pockets, but couldn't find one. He looked back up at Jack and was about to tell him he was sorry, but he didn't have one, when he saw Jack fish one out of his own pocket.

"Where the hell'd you get that?" Bobby asked, watching Jack light his cigarette and take a long drag.

"I told you that if I want something, I can figure out a way to get it." Jack said with a smile on his face.

Bobby was glad that Jack was warming up to him so well. "Yeah, but I've kept my eyes on you and you haven't let the house without me and I know you didn't get that when you were with me."

"Wrong, I did get it when I was with you." Jack said taking another long drag.

"Let's take this outside. It's gonna be hard to hide if you stink up the house." Bobby said opening the windows and walking out of the house to the front porch, Jack right behind him.

"How did you get that with me?" Bobby asked picking up their conversation again.

"Pit pocketed some pot head." Jack stated simply without looking at Bobby.

Bobby's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "And how did you know he was a pot head?"

Jack grinned and pulled a one hitter from his pocket. Bobby snatched it from him. He examined it and looked back up at Jack.

"Relax Bobby; it was completely clean of any drugs when I jacked it." Jack said a bit cautious about the stern look he was getting from Bobby.

Bobby shoved the pipe in his pocket and ruffled Jack's hair ignoring the small flinch that came from Jack reflexively. "You better not try that shit again Jack." Bobby said firmly, but with a smile on his face that told Jack he wasn't seriously mad.

The rest of the day Bobby and Jack sat on the porch. They smoked, they talked, and by nightfall they had both fallen asleep on the porch. Bobby awoke suddenly very aware at the sound of a car door shutting. It was pitch black out by the time he had woken and he was ready to draw his gun on the first thing he saw. He was about to draw when he realized the car door was his own car and that Angel was the person exiting it. Jack seemed to have been awoken by the car as well. He was very alert and his eyes were darting around franticly.

"Jack, it's okay, it's just Angel." Bobby put a hand on Jack's shoulder and felt how tense he was. Bobby figured that he must not have had a very peaceful sleep and he instantly felt bad for him.

"Hey." Angel said tiredly as he stepped up on the porch.

Bobby grinned at the sight of his worn out brother. "La Vida Loca giving you a hard time Angel?"

Angel let out a sneer as he walked into the house, leaving the door for Bobby and Jack to follow.

Once they were all in the house, they simultaneously collapsed on the couch, turning the channel to hockey.

Angel let a shiver roll over his body. "Why the fuck are all the windows open?" He asked irritably.

"We needed some fresh air." Bobby answered sarcastically.

"Well it's getting chilly out. I'm shuttin' em." Angel said as he got up and went to shut all the windows.

"Pussy. It's not even that cold out yet." Bobby whispered under his breathe making Jack crack a small smile.

When Angel finished with the windows they all sat and became very entranced with the game they were watching. They became so entranced, that when the phone rang they all jumped about three feet in the air.

Bobby really didn't want to leave the game, but he hauled himself of the couch anyway and answered the phone. "What'cha want?" Bobby asked, not really caring about the answer.

"Bobby Mercer, that is no way to answer the phone." His mother scolded half heartedly, quickly getting Bobby's full attention. It's not that he thought anything was the matter, he just made sure to always listen to what his loving adopted mother had to say, even if he didn't act like it all the time.

"Sorry Ma, what's up?" Bobby asked.

"Well, the thing is that I have a young boy with me and he needs somewhere to stay for the next few days. I have a home for him, I just need to keep him for a few days until preparations are all figured out. Can you get a cot set up for him in Jack's room? Ask Jack if that's okay for me will you dear?" Evelyn said in a sweet exhausted voice.

"Sure thing Ma, hold on." Bobby said holding the phone away from his mouth. "Jackie, some here a sec will ya?"

Bobby heard the hesitant pit pattering of Jack's feet and was greeted with a sad look. "Relax Jack; I just want to ask you a question." Jack's face switched from a sad look to a questioning look. "Ma is bringing home a kid for a few days, can he settle in your room with you for awhile?"

Jack nodded his head. After all, it wasn't techniquely his room. It belonged to the Mercer's.

Jack watched Bobby talk to Evelyn on the phone and then hand the phone to Jack. "Ma wants to ask you something Jackie." Bobby said with a smile spreading across his face.

Jack took the phone and waited for Evelyn to say something. "Jack? You there?" She asked.

"Yeah." Jack said a little nervously.

"I want you too know that, after talking with Jessica, that I would like to adopt you. Is that okay with you?" Jack was stunned and didn't answer at first. "Jack?" Evelyn asked again.

"Y-yeah, that's okay with me." Jack said, tears of happiness streaming down his face.

"Okay then honey, tell Bobby that I should be home in about half an hour with our new arrival."

"Okay Evelyn, I will." Jack said happily, through his tears.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Boys, I'm home." Evelyn said gently closing the door behind her.

Evelyn walked into the living room where the boys were watching a hockey game.

"Where's Jerry?" She asked.

All attention turned to her. "He's staying the night at Camille's." Bobby answered.

"I thought you was bringing home a kid?" Angel said.

"I did, he's hanging up his coat. Sam, honey, come here."

Right then, a tall and muscled boy walked into the room and stood next to Evelyn.

"Boys this is Sam, he's 15 and he'll be staying here for a small while. Sam, this is Bobby," She said pointing to the what looked to be the oldest. "Angel," She pointed to black male that looked younger than the first. "Jerry isn't here right now, he's my second oldest. And then there's Jack, he's my youngest at 13." She smiled, pointing to the youngest.

Sam's eyes went feral when they rested on Jack. Jack was already standing and looked ready to fight, his eye radiating pure madness.

Evelyn stepped in between the paths of the two boys before they could get to each other. Bobby was up and standing next to Jack, ready to hold him back if he needed. Angel just sat on the couch and watched everything unfold.

"Jack, Sam, what's going on?" Evelyn said in a calm, firm tone.

They didn't answer they just continued to stare at each other with rage. Jack took a step forward and Bobby grabbed his arm, ignoring the flinch.

"You better tell us what the fuck is going on, right now, both of you." Bobby said angrily.

There was a long silence before Sam spoke. "There's nothing to tell." He said letting a twisted smile form across his face.

Bobby could feel Jack's whole body tense up, ready to fight. "Like hell there isn't! Jack, what's going on?"

Jack made no attempt to answer.

"Why the hell won't anyone tell me what's going on?" Bobby yelled, making Jack flinch and try to pull out of Bobby's grasp on his arm. Bobby let go of Jack, but made sure he stayed next to him, not wanting him to go over to Sam and get pounded.

"So, Jack Ass, how'd you get that lovely scar on your face?" Sam asked wickedly.

Jack glared him down before retorting. "So, Sam, why aren't you with your daddy anymore. Oh that's right; he's too busy pushing up daisies."

Sam's smile disappeared and he quickly dodged out from behind Evelyn, lunging himself at Jack. Bobby didn't have time to react. Sam threw a swift punch into Jack's face, but Jack reacted quickly and dived into Sam's stomach throwing him against the ground. His and Sam wrestled, throwing punches, Jack getting in way more than Sam. It took both Angel and Bobby to tear them off of each other.

Jack was fighting against Bobby's grip to get back to throwing punches at Sam. Sam had a bloody nose and was more than content to stay in Angel's grasp where Jack couldn't get him.

"What the fuck is wrong with you boys?" Bobby bellowed.

"That fucker got my dad killed. He didn't never do nothing wrong!" Sam yelled at Jack.

Jack stopped his struggles, seeing as how Bobby was not letting go, and just glared at Sam.

"What's he talking about Jackie?" Evelyn asked, now sitting on the couch since she would only get in the way of Bobby and Angel, who were restraining the boys.

"Vick killed his dad." Jack said in a flat, venomous tone.

Bobby remembered the story Vick told about them about how he killed the guy because he was abusing Jack and forcing him to shoot up.

"You said that your dad hadn't done nothing wrong." Bobby said focusing on Sam, who had said that his father hadn't done anything wrong.

"He didn't! My dad was a great father and then that little bitch over there came! But my dad ain't never laid a hand on me!" Sam screamed.

"But he did lay a hand on Jack?" Angel asked, gripping Sam's arm harder.

"Yeah, so, he was already broken when we got him, who cares what happens after that?" Sam replied.

Bobby couldn't believe what had just come outa that boy's mouth. "So, he was like your pet that you could just abuse, was that it." Bobby said getting angry.

"I never touched him." Sam said, feeling as though Bobby was gonna go over to him and rip his head off.

"Liar!" Jack screamed, trying to break out of Bobby's grasp so he could lunge at Sam.

"Jackie baby, calm down." Evelyn cooed from the couch.

"Why the fuck should I?! When his dad wasn't home, Sam over there would beat the shit out of me and I couldn't defend myself because I was to beat up from his father and his friends!!!" Jack was growing angrier by the second and Bobby was forced to put a firm grasp on both of Jack's arms. "I could kick your ass now, so bring it bitch!"

Sam elbowed Angel in the crotch, sending Angel to the floor. Then he launched a fist into Jack's face. When Sam went to swing with the other fist, Jack used Bobby's death grip to his advantage and put his weight into Bobby, hoisting his legs into the air and slamming them into Sam's face, making him fall backwards and clutch his face on the floor crying.

Angel recovered and grabbed Sam sitting him on the couch, in between him and Evelyn. Angel had a much harder grip on him this time, while Evelyn looked at his broken nose.

Bobby was like in a state of shock. He couldn't believe that little, scared shitless, Jackie could fight so good.

"Little fucker broke my nose." Sam said crying.

"Yeah, well that little fucker is my baby brother, and if you call him that again I'll brake your neck." Angel said viciously.

"Angel, we don't threaten people here." Evelyn scolded. "Sam you're going to sleep in Bobby's room for your stay here and I wouldn't advise trying anything while you're here." Evelyn watched as Bobby's face turned furious.

"Ma, how can you still let him stay here?!" Bobby bellowed.

"Bobby, there is no need to raise your voice at me. He needs somewhere to stay for just a few nights and he doesn't have anywhere to go. I'm putting him in your room because putting him with Jack is just a horrible idea." She said referring to the still very pissed off Jack.

"What about putting him with Angel?" Bobby whined.

"Angel's hardly ever home, but you are home 24/7. You are the best for this situation. Okay?" She confirmed.

Bobby let out an angry sigh and turned to the still crying Sam and then to Jack. "Jackie, you go upstairs and get into bed." Bobby knew he sounded really lame right now, but he needed more control on this situation.

"Why the fuck should I Bobby!?" Jack tried once again to free himself from Bobby's grasp. Bobby couldn't believe that this kid was capable of such rage. He had seen Jack get like this before, but only momentarily. It would come and go, but this was scaring Bobby.

"Cause I said so! Now I'm gonna walk your ass to the stairs, and you are going to go up the rest of the way yourself. Understand?!" Bobby said practically dragging Jack to the bottom of the stairs and releasing him. At first Jack just stood there, debating on weather or not he should try and get to Sam. Then he let out an angry sigh and ran up the steps and slamming the door to his room behind him.

Bobby walked back into the living room and told Angel that he could let go of Sam and go get the cot out of Jack's room and drag it into Bobby's room.

"Ma, you go on to bed, I'll get Sam set up in my room. Are his bags by the door?"

"Bobby, his nose is mess; I can't just leave it like this." Evelyn said, still looking over Sam' nose.

"Ma, I've had enough injuries to be a doctor, I can take care of it."

"Okay, Bobby, but be nice and no yelling." Evelyn said as she stood up, gave Sam a small hug and then went upstairs to bed.

Bobby let out a tired sigh and scratched at the back of his head. "Okay kid, get your stuff and you're gonna follow me."

Sam got up and grabbed his stuff by the door. Bobby grabbed hold of his arm and hauled him up the stairs to his room. Angel had already set the cot up on the wall farthest from the door.

"Okay kid," Bobby started as he shut the door. "Listen up. I'll find it in me somewhere to put up with you while you're here, but if you so much as lay a hand on Jackie, then I'll kick your sorry little ass." Bobby said standing over Sam and glaring him down.

Sam faltered a little bit, but then regained his ass whole exterior. "Yeah and why is Jack Ass so special. What if I kick his ass in self defense?"

"Jack is special because he's been threw more than you could ever imagine. And from what I saw tonight, I don't think you could kick his ass, even if you were on steroids." Bobby let out a small laugh and gestured for the kid to get into his cot. Sam did as he was told and laid down. Bobby handed him a box of tissues and a trash can. "Your nose ain't broken, the cartilage is. So quit being such a pussy."

"Well how the hell was I spose to know? All I know is that my nose hurts and it's bleeding and swollen. I haven't exactly had a lot of experience with broken bones." Sam said as if Bobby were stupid.

"You know, you don't have any visible scars on ya and you look well fed. Why are you with Ma? She usually only takes in lost causes." Bobby said looking at him curiously.

"Probably cause I can't stay outa trouble. I got sticky fingers and most houses I go to aren't big fans of that. I've been told by kids in the group homes that I'm a lucky son of a bitch though. Been through a hell of a lot of homes and none of em been overly abusive. One or two bruises and that was it." Sam said as he shoved Kleenex's up his nose.

Bobby got locked the door to his room so that Jack couldn't come in and so that Sam couldn't get out without Bobby hearing him. Then he settled himself into bed turning of the light. "You have no right to talk bad on Jack then. I'm serious; you have no right at all. That scar of his face is only a small part of his past and it would really be in your best interest to just leave him the hell alone, ya here?" Bobby said threateningly.

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever." Sam said as he rolled over on his cot.

"If you weren't one of Ma's kids, I'd kick your ass right now." And with that Bobby and Sam ended their conversation. Sam fell asleep quickly and immediately started snoring. Bobby stayed awake, dreading being alone with Sam and Jack tomorrow. It was gonna be incredible hard to keep them both chill. It hurt his head to even think about it. He stayed awake for another three hours just thinking about the dreads of tomorrow, when he heard a muffled crying. He got up quickly, but quietly and unlocked his door. The first place he checked was Jack's room. Jack wasn't there and that raised alarm. So he focused on where the crying was coming from and he realized it was coming from the bathroom. He quietly inched over to the door and opened it slowly. What he saw caused a huge amount of panic to surge through his body.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Jack was sitting on the floor leaning up against the bathe tub. He was cutting his wrists, each time getting a little deeper. Bobby quickly snatched the pocket knife from his hands.

Jack was startled; he hadn't even noticed that someone was there. He grew very fearful when he looked up to see Bobby's face mirroring pure rage. He backed him self up against the tub as far as he could.

"Jack! What the hell are you doing?" Bobby yelled in a whisper, not wanting to wake up the rest of the house.

Jack just sat on the floor staring and the ground while his wrists bled. He wasn't in danger of dying, but if he had gone on any longer…

"Jack?" Bobby said gently as he knelt down to Jack's level on the floor. "Why did you do that?"

Jack looked up and was relieved to see that Bobby's facial wasn't angry, it was sad and confused. Jack became less tensed and remembered that he put Bobby under his "people to somewhat trust" category. "I-I don't like this." Jack whimpered through silent sobs.

"Don't like what, Jackie?" Bobby pressed.

Jack took in a deep breathe before he answered. "The suspense. If he's going to g-get me, I wish h-he would j-j-just do it now."

Bobby looked at his distraught brother wondering what to do. It dawned on him that maybe taking care of his wrists would be a good start.

Bobby reached into a cabinet and pulled out a medical kit and pulled out bandages, gauze and peroxide. "Give me your hands Jackie." Bobby said, slowly reaching for Jack's hand.

Jack pulled it back, trying to keep it out of Bobby's reach. He didn't want Bobby to undo what he had just done to himself. It was useless though, Bobby grabbed his arm and pulled it into him, pulling out bandages and skillfully cleaning the wounds and then wrapping them. He did the same with the other arm.

"Jack, were you cutting or trying to kill your self?" Bobby asked bewildered as to why he would try to do that.

Jack didn't answer. Instead he buried his head into his knees and folded his arms into his chest.

"Jack, please let me help you. You said that you didn't like the suspense, but I don't understand. What is it that you think is going to happen?"

"I-I-I told you. He's going to get me and it's just too hard to sit here not knowing when. I'm better off dead th-then with him." Jack lifted his head, tears came less, but his eyes grew dead, and that scared Bobby more than the tears.

"Jack, he's not going to get you. I won't let him. That bastard won't ever get his hands on you again, you hear?" Bobby wanted to put a reassuring hand on Jack's shoulder, but didn't know if he'd go berserk.

Jack let a sad laugh escape his lips. "You can't stop him. No one can. Just…just let me die…" Jack looked into Bobby's eyes, pleading death with his own.

It pulled at Bobby's heart to hear and see his little Jackie like this. "Jack, I won't let you. You're my brother and I love you. I don't say that often either. Jack I'll take care of you, okay?" Bobby sat down next to Jack and pulled him into a hug, letting Jack cry silently into Bobby's shoulder. When he looked up from Jack, he noticed that Sam was standing in the door. Bobby gave him a death glare and Sam quickly disappeared back to his room.

Bobby let Jack cry for as long as he needed. Jack eventually calmed down, and sat up, leaving Bobby's brotherly embrace. "Bobby?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, kid?"

"Y-you won't tell Evelyn, w-will you?" Jack asked.

"No, but if you ever try something like this again, I'll have too. Okay?" Bobby said.

Jack let a tired smile across his face. "Thanks Bobby. Thanks."

"No problem Cracker Jack." Bobby stood up, helping Jack to his feet. "Common, lets get you back to bed."

Bobby walked his baby brother to his room and watched him settle himself back into bed. "I'll stay here until you fall asleep, okay?" Bobby said reassuringly.

Jack shook his from side to side. "That's okay, I'm fine now."

Bobby gave him an 'I don't believe you' look.

"I mean it, I'm fine."

"Okay, whatever you say Jackie." Bobby walked to the door feeling a little uneasy about leaving his brother in such a vulnerable state. "Night, ya little fairy."

Jack frowned at Bobby as he shut the door behind him and went back to his own room. When he got there, he saw Sam sitting on his cot looking at Bobby curiously.

"Look kid, eavesdropping is not very becoming. You should mind your own business." Bobby hissed as he locked the door and climbed back into bed.

"Who is Jack so scared of?" Sam asked, ignoring what Bobby had just said.

"Go to bed kid. I'm too tired for this right now." Bobby sighed.

"Fine, but I'll find out sooner or later." Sam gave Bobby a sickening smile.

Bobby was just itching to hit the kid and besides the fact that his mother wouldn't be overly happy with him, Jack probably wouldn't ever trust him again. _Man, life was just getting harder by the minute. _Thought Bobby.

* * *

**A special thanks to:**

**Samantha **- You have been very helpful and motivating. You're a fun reviewr. I love the advice. I hope this one has less gramatical errors in it. I tried. Thanks sooooo much!

**murtaghxblaiseyum**- I love that you love my writing so much it makes me happy and I like that I can have fun with you when you reply on the review! And...You know my ultimate weakness...COOKIES!!!!! Thanks tons!

**AnGeLoVe1617** - You were like my first reader of I think all my stories. You were the first to make me feel happy about what I write. You are the reason I'm writing more than one story. Thanks mucho grande!

**Everyone reading this should give a round of appluase to these 3! They guilt me into writing a new chapter one after another...I just can't resist their pleading. Love you guys, your the best. And thanks to all my other reviewers!!!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Bobby made sure to get up early that morning so there was no chance of Jack and Sam crossing paths without him being there to pull them off each other. He got up at four that morning so that he had time to take a shower and get everything he needed done, DONE. He was gonna need his full attention on the two youngest in the house.

On his way to the bathroom, Evelyn caught him by the arm. "Ma, what are you doing up so early?" Bobby asked caught off guard.

"I didn't want to take the chance of Jack and Sam waking up before you did, but it looks like you have it covered. But I wanted to tell you something, so when you're done with your shower and teeth, meet me in the kitchen. I'll have coffee waiting for you." Evelyn said giving him a smile.

"Yeah okay MA." Bobby replied giving her a small kiss on the forehead.

When Bobby finished getting dressed and showered and had everything done, he walked done stairs and walked in the kitchen, taking a seat at the table.

"Here you go Bobby." Evelyn handed him his coffee.

Bobby accepted the cup and quickly took a sip, feeling his drowsiness set in. "So what did you need to tell me?"

Evelyn took her seat across from Bobby and sipped at her own coffee. "Today happens to be Jack's birthday, but with Sam here I feel that maybe now isn't the best time to celebrate, so I want you to tell Jack happy birthday today. When Sam leaves we can give him gifts and things then. Okay?" Evelyn said tiredly.

"How old is he? Like… what, 14?" Bobby guessed.

Evelyn nodded her head up in down.

They sat silently for a long while until they heard a door close from upstairs. Not long after, Jack came down the stairs. He was wearing a long sleeved shirt that Bobby set on his bed that morning to hide his cuts. He also left a note for Jack to re-bandage them.

"Hi, honey, happy birthday." Evelyn said smiling at him.

Jack looked up from his feet and gave Evelyn a shocked look, stopping in the doorway to the kitchen.

"What's wrong Jack?" Evelyn asked concerned.

Jack shook whatever he was feeling off his shoulders and took a seat in one of the empty chairs.

"Yeah, happy birthday kid!" Bobby said as he finished off the last of his coffee.

Jack looked up at Bobby with that same shocked expression on his face that he made to Evelyn.

"Why do you keep making that face?" Bobby asked curiously.

"Is everything okay Jack?"

"Umm… why do you keep saying that?" Jack asked deeply confused.

Evelyn and Bobby just looked at him.

"Saying happy birthday?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah."

"Well Jacky, hasn't anyone ever told you happy birthday?" Evelyn asked him gently.

Jack shook his head from side to side.

"You gotta be kidding me! Jack we're saying it because birthdays are something you're s'pose to celebrate. Have you EVER celebrated your birthday?" Bobby asked incredulously.

Jack cringed when Bobby said that.

"Jack what's wrong?" Evelyn asked concern flooding her face for the pain that was evident on Jack's face.

Jack didn't answer; instead he looked distant as if thinking about something he was remembering.

"Jack?!" Bobby said in a loud tone to get Jack's attention.

Jack snapped up and looked startled. "What were you thinking about Jacky?" Evelyn asked.

"Nothing."

Bobby let out an aggravated sigh. "Jack let's not do this again please. Nothing is obviously not the right answer. Just tell Ma what's wrong." Bobby begged, easily getting tired of Jack always saying nothing is wrong.

"I…" Jack took a deep breathe. "When my birthday rolls around, it's either ignored, forgotten, or…" Jack cut himself off, finding it hard to say the rest.

"Or what honey?" Evelyn urged.

"Or…punished." Jack finished quietly.

Bobby grew angry at Jack's word. "Jack there was no reason to be punished for something like that. Those people were dicks!" Bobby said with his fists clenched tight.

"Bobby, calm down." Evelyn said placing a soothing hand over Bobby's fist. "Jack," She turned her attention back to him. "In this house we celebrate such occasions. I'm glad that you are here and your birthday was a great moment in life. Please don't ever forget that." She finished off with a sweet smile.

Jack looked Evelyn directly in the eyes. He felt like crying. He couldn't remember anyone being happy of his existence, not ever.

"We love you Jack. All of us do." Evelyn said. "Is it okay if we celebrate when it's just the family in the house?" Evelyn asked, implying that Sam not be there.

"I'd prefer it that way, but there's really no reason for a…celebration." Jack hesitated in saying.

"Oh, but there is Cracker Jack!" Bobby said joyfully.

Jack let out an angry sigh at Bobby's nick name for him, but inside he was actually happy. Until he heard another door upstairs shut close and he saw Sam walk into the kitchen.

The atmosphere instantly turned to an icy hostile feeling. Evelyn felt bad that she had to leave. Bobby was just going to have to take care of this one. She bid her goodbyes and then left for work. Angel left for Sophi's not long after she left.

Bobby looked back and forth from Jack and Sam, who were sitting on opposite sides of the table. Sam's face was bruising nicely and his nose was swollen and he had two black eyes. Yet he still had the balls to smile a wicked smile at Jack. Jack returned it with a glare that made Bobby anxious.

"So, Jack, out of mere curiosity. What DID happen to your pretty little face?" Sam said humorously.

"I don't know if I can explain too well. Why don't I show you?" Jack asked threateningly making Sam's smirk falter for a split second.

"I am not doing this with you two all day!" Bobby yelled making jack flinch away and let out a small whimper despite himself. Sam's smile widened at Jack's reaction.

"Damn it Jack. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you." Bobby apologized. Then he turned to the smiling Sam and his face turned deadly, quickly wiping the smile from Sam's face. "If you start shit like that again, I'll have you outa this house in a split second."

"Evelyn wouldn't let you." Sam said in all seriousness. "You're nothing but talk."

Bobby had to use every bit of control in his body to keep from ripping the kid to shreds, just to prove, he ain't all talk.

Bobby was about to say more, when the door bell rang. "Shit." Bobby looked at both boys. "If you guys so much as lay one finger on each other…" Bobby left it open for their imaginations and went to answer the door.

When Bobby was out of ear shot Sam turned to Jack and his evil grin spread across his face again. "He knows where you are Jack and it won't be long before he finds you." Sam said remembering that Jack was afraid of SOMEONE and he decided to take advantage of it and make it his little game.

Jack filled with terror. The thought of his father made his stomach clench and his heart stop. "What do you know?" Jack said shakily, failing to come off tough.

"I know enough." Sam said gleefully.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Jack was horror struck. _Was his father communicating with Sam? Was Sam going to help his father get him? Was Sam here to kill him?_ Jack thought. He didn't like the look in Sam's eyes. They were dangerous. They were smiling in an overjoyed and yet threatening way that made Jack's complexion turn deathly white.

"Damn I hate salesmen! They're so persistent. Kinda felt bad for the poor guy though. I bet he don't sell a damn thing all day." Bobby said as he walked back into the kitchen.

When Bobby looked at the two boys, he realized that something had happened. Judging by the look of horror on Jack's face and the look of 'I'm an angel and I didn't do ANYTHING wrong' on Sam's face, he just knew.

Bobby whipped around and grabbed Sam by his shirt lifting him from the chair. "Look kid! I said I won't tolerate you if you hurt Jacky! What the hell did you do?" Bobby yelled furiously.

Sam looked as innocent as he could. He knew Jack would be too scared to say anything and Bobby would have no proof of anything. "I didn't do anything wrong. Maybe he's just remembering something." He said with fake fear.

Bobby turned, still holding on to Sam's shirt, but lowering him back to the chair. "Jack, all you have to do is tell me what he did. I promise nothing will happen to you." Bobby reassured.

Jack quickly wiped the scared look of his face and let his emotions go limp. "He didn't do anything Bobby."

Bobby knew that was a bunch of bullshit. Bobby knew what Jack was doing. He was going into survival mode. Keeping your emotions buried often kept you alive when you're in the foster system. What Jack didn't understand was that he no longer needed to resort to his survival instincts. Bobby wanted so badly for Jack to let go completely of his distrust. Jack thought he trusted them, but trust meant telling people what was wrong when something was OBVIOUSLY wrong. Bobby knew that Jack was doing all of this on default. It was more of a reaction than anything else. And it was going to be very hard to break him of it. Sam definitely wasn't helping though.

"Jack…don't you trust me?" Bobby tried to pull him back.

Jack looked up slowly and then looked back at the ground. "Yes."

"Then just tell me. What did he do?" Bobby tried again.

Jack wanted so badly to tell Bobby, but Sam would for sure get him. Either through his father or Sam himself, but he would get him.

"It's like I said. I didn't do anything, Bobby." Sam said struggling slightly against Bobby's hold. "Don't you trust me Bobby?"

Bobby glared viciously down on Sam, releasing his hold on him violently. "No."

Bobby went over to the chair Jack was in. "Com'mon. Let's go watch TV."

Jack slowly stood up and watched for Sam out of the corner of his eyes. Bobby caught Jack's eye's roam over to Sam and look cautiously. Bobby grew extremely angry because he knew Sam did something.

Once the two were in the living room, Bobby turned the TV on and turned the channel to some soap opera that was on for lack of anything better on. Bobby noticed that Sam was starting to walk into the room. "No you don't!" Bobby said aggressively, but not raising his tone. "You can go sit your ass in the kitchen and sit there or you can go upstairs and sit in my room. No, scratch that, sit your ass in the kitchen."

Sam looked at Bobby warily, debating on whether or not he should object. Then he let out a sigh and put a smile on face and left to go sit back in the kitchen.

Bobby turned to Jack. "Jacky please. Just tell me what he did?" Bobby pleaded.

"Nothing." Jack said flatly.

"Jack stop saying that!" Bobby yelled in frustration, making Jack jump to his feet and back away from him in fear.

Bobby was scaring Jack in a sense that Jack had started seeing more of his anger lately. He yelled at the kitchen table that morning, he grabbed Sam and looked as if he would hit him, and then he yelled at Jack. This was beginning to look like one of the homes that would be real sweet and caring at the beginning and then just blow up out of no where. Jack was slowly loosing trust in Bobby and that scared him.

Bobby quickly realized what he had just done. "Jacky, I'm sorry I didn't mean to get angry at you." Bobby said standing and taking step toward Jack.

Jack let out a whimper and backed further away from Bobby, keeping his gaze on the ground at Bobby's feet.

"Jack, come on. You've been around me long enough to know that I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not tricking you, com'mon." Jack didn't answer and Bobby let out a sigh. "Why don't you trust me anymore?" Bobby asked.

Jack shifted on his feet and lifted his gaze to Bobby's. "I…what if you're some of the others?" Jack said.

"What others?" Bobby asked confused.

"What if you're getting sick of me? I've been to homes where I thought they loved me and…and then they change out of no where and they…" Jack trailed off. "What if you're like that?" Jack looked up at Bobby for the longest time Bobby had ever held eye contact with him. The look in his eyes made Bobby sad. They practically pleaded for him to not be like the other homes he was talking about.

"Jack, if you really believed that I was like that, then you wouldn't have asked me if I was like that." Bobby said softly.

Bobby's words confused Jack. It was true, he would have NEVER have said that to any of his other homes. But something in Jack still felt wrong. Then Jack felt anger take over. Why were his emotion's screwing with him like this. _i trust the Mercers, i trust the Mercer's, i TRUST THEM!!!! _He yelled in his thoughts.

Bobby noticed how Jack's gaze reverted to the wall and his whole mood changed. He was no longer frightened and scared. He was flat out pissed off. Bobby didn't know how much longer he could stand these sudden changes in behavior. They were exhausting.

Jack then thought, _Sam's the reason I feel like this! He's the reason I can't sort out my emotions. He's the reason that Bobby's acting this way, NOT ME!!!_

Jack looked up and into the kitchen where he met Sam's gaze. He was smiling at the scene in front of him. It even looked as if he were holding back laughter. It made Jack sick. He took a step forward towards the kitchen, ready to fuck Sam up so much that he wouldn't ever be able to smile like that again. Then he remembered what Sam had said about his father and how he didn't know what Sam's intentions were. He retracted his step and clenched his fists. Then he unknowingly grabbed his wrist with one of his hands and dug his nails into it. 

"Jack!" Bobby said in a panicky voice that broke him out of his thoughts. "What are you doing?!" Bobby said reaching for Jack's arm. Jack flinched away and then thought to himself. _Relax Jack. He's not going to hurt you, he won't hurt you, he won't. _Jack let out a deep and nervous breathe and let Bobby take his arm.

Bobby lifted Jack's long sleeves and revealed the bandages that were now soaked in a new layer of blood. He saw the look of surprise on Jack's face and figured that he didn't do it on purpose.

"Com'mon, upstairs. We need to get these cleaned and bandaged again." Bobby said as he led Jack up the stairs.

About twenty minutes later Jack and Bobby descended the stairs. When they came down they saw Sam lounging on the coach, flipping through channels.

Sam looked up at them casually and noticed Jack's tear stained face. It made him happy to see the killer of his father in pain.

"Sam…" Bobby said in a tone that was clam but terrifying at the same time.

Sam didn't answer. He could tell Bobby was using everything in his body to not tear him from limb to limb. _Did Jack tell on him?_ He thought.

"Why did you say that to Jack?" Bobby looked furious, but his voice remained calm. It scared the shit out of Sam. His eyes darted threateningly to Jack who was standing slightly behind Bobby, staring at the ground and letting a few more tears stream down his face. He was shaking fiercely and looked like he scared that Sam would tell the man Jack was scared of.

"I didn't say anything." Sam said in defense.

"Sam…Jack told me that you said something about his father knowing where he is. Last night you had no idea who Jack was afraid of." Bobby explained clenching his fists.

Sam knew he was loosing this fight so instead of playing dumb, he was gonna go out with a fight. "So! I said it to him so he would feel the pain I'm feeling! My father is dead and it's his fault." Bobby's expression never faltered. "I don't know why you're so scared of your dad, but I can assume it's for good reason…and I hope he finds you." Sam finished off in a low and vile tone.

Sam watched their reactions. First was Jack's. His shaking increased and his legs buckled underneath him. The look on his face showed that he wasn't with the rest of the world. He was inside his head. Probably remembering something about his dad. Sam was pleased with this reaction. Bobby's not so much. His reaction was scary. He took one look at Jack and bolted toward Sam. He grabbed him by the arm and dragged him up the stairs. Then he opened up the bathroom and locked him in by putting a chair under the knob.

Bobby was extremely pissed and wasn't sure if he could keep himself from killing Sam, so the next thing he did was call Evelyn. "Ma?" Bobby asked.

"Bobby? What's wrong?" She asked calmly.

"I need you here now." He stated quickly.

Evelyn didn't bother asking questions. "I'll be right there." They both ended the call there.

Bobby went back over to Jack who now had his knees curled into his chest.

"Jacky?" Bobby didn't want to touch Jack after remembering what happened during the nightmare. "Jacky, look at me. Sam is gone now okay."

Jack didn't answer.

"Jack. Please come back. Snap out of it." Bobby pleaded helplessly.

Jack's eyes grew wide with fear and he started sobbing. "Please st-stop. I-it hurts. no more…" Jack begged through sobs.

_What the hell is he thinking about? _Bobby thought contemplating whether or not he really wanted to know the answer.

Just as Bobby was about to try and coax Jack out of his horror, he stopped the begging and looked at Bobby threw his tears.

"You okay Jacky?" Bobby asked quietly.

Jack sat on the ground for a moment, just looking miserable and frightened. Bobby couldn't bare the sight and wrapped his arms around Jack and embraced him in a brotherly hug that caused Jack to break out in another set of hysterical tears. But they weren't 'You're gonna hurt me, don't touch me tears', they were 'I believe in you, protect me' tears.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

When Evelyn got home she saw Bobby and Jack sitting on the couch. Jack had a distant look in his eyes. Bobby had his arm around him and was talking to him telling him everything was okay. Evelyn immediately knew that something had happened.

"Bobby, what's going on? Where's Sam?" She asked standing in the doorway.

Bobby gave Evelyn a helpless look. She shouldn't have left only Bobby to be in charge of the two boys. "Ma, I left for one second and Sam said some stuff to Jack and now we have a bit of a mess."

"Where's Sam?" She asked again, a little worried that Bobby might have lost his temper.

"Don't worry, he's in the bathroom, but I suggest you get him outa the house!" Bobby said firmly.

"Calm down Bobby. I'll call a friend and see if she can watch him. Okay?" She said as she walked into the kitchen and made the call.

When she walked back into the family room she told Bobby that her friend from CPS was going to take him for awhile and that she'd be here to pick him up in about ten minutes.

Next thing she did was walk up and open the bathroom letting Sam out. She wanted to talk to him before he left. "Sam? Bobby told me you said some things to Jack. What did you say?" She asked him calmly.

Sam gave her a twisted smile and looked her dead in the face. "I basically told him that I knew who was looking for him and that he would find him and he would get exactly what he deserved."

Evelyn gave him a sad smile. "Sam, that really wasn't very nice. For Jack's sake, I'm sorry but you're going to have to be moved in with one of my friends until your adoptive parents are done with all the paper work and things."

Sam gave her a nasty look. He hated this more than anything. He liked Evelyn a lot and he knew that if Jack weren't there that Evelyn would love HIM more.

"Yeah well 'for Jack's sake' I think it's only fair that you know." Sam said with fake sympathy across his face.

Evelyn's expression turned to worry. "Know what, Sam?"

"Well you know I woke up one night and discovered that Jack was…" Sam lowered his head and pretended to look sad. "…trying to kill himself."

Evelyn gave him an unsure look. "Sam lying about things like that is not funny."

"I'm not lying." He said loosing the sad face and pulling out his puppy eyes. "Go check his wrists. Bobby wrapped them for him."

"Bobby knows?" Evelyn asked in disbelief that her eldest wouldn't tell her something like that.

"Yeah, go check if you don't believe me."

Evelyn slowly walked down the stairs and in to the family room, Sam right behind her.

"Jack, honey, are you okay?" Evelyn asked, noticing that Jack looked much more calm and that the distant look in his eyes were going.

Jack shook his head up and down, but kept his eyes on the smirking Sam behind her.

"Honey I know that now is not the best time for this, but…can you show me your wrists?" Evelyn asked the boy quietly.

She watched as both Jack glued his gaze to the ground and how it looked as if tears threatened to spill over.

"Jack, please, I won't be mad, but that's serious and I need to know." She said as she knelt on the ground and reached for Jack's arm, pulling it close to her. He didn't put up a fight, but Evelyn could feel him shake under her soft grip. She slowly and gently pushed back Jack's sleeve. She let sorrow fill her eyes when she found that the bandages were there just as Sam had said. They were still freshly bloodstained.

Evelyn looked up at her eldest who was looking with concern at how Jack would react. "Bobby, why didn't you tell me?"

"It was under control Ma. He promised to never do it again." Bobby tried his explanation.

"We'll talk later." Evelyn told him in a calm voice. "Jack, honey it's okay, but do you understand who sad I would be if something happened to you?"

Jack looked up at her, tears streaming unwillingly down his face.

Before Evelyn could say anything else, the doorbell rang. When she answered it, she found that it was just Tiffany, her friend who was going to take Sam.

"Sam, honey, this is Tiffany and you'll be living with her for a while okay." Evelyn said as Sam pushed past her and past Tiffany and just sat waiting by the car.

Evelyn let out a sad sigh and rubbed her temples tiredly. "I'm sorry Tiffany, he's a bit of a handful, but he's just a broken child on the inside, so please take good care of him.

Tiffany gave Evelyn a smile as she began to walk back to her car. "No worries Evelyn! I take great care of him. I read his file and I think you're right. If I'm lucky I might be able to put those broken peeves back together." Tiffany finished as she turned and walked off further.

Evelyn gently shut the door and returned back to the couch where Jack and Bobby sat. Evelyn crouched down back in front of her troubled Jack.

"Jackie, can you at least tell me why?" Evelyn pleaded for an explanation.

"I-I didn't think I could put up with this anymore. Everything in my life ends up being fucked up and it's just hard to take and I would rather die than my father get ahold of me again. But Bobby promised me that he and Angel and Jerry would protect me and that they would never let my father get a hold of me ever. So I promise Evelyn I won't ever try again, I promise!" Jack said as he began to cry hysterically thinking that Evelyn would be mad at him for trying to off himself and would kick him out.

"Jacky, calm down, you're not in trouble, okay. As long as you keep your promise to me I'll be happy. Okay?" Evelyn said as tears began to fill her own eyes.

"I promise Evelyn. I promise if won't happen again." Jack cried.

Evelyn gently embrace her youngest in a loving hug that seemed to last forever as both cried in to each others shoulders.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Jack had his birthday the next day. Everything was great. He had never felt so appreciated before. Not ever. He even got gifts. Bobby gave him hockey skates, Angel gave ten bucks, Jerry gave him a membership at this self defense teaching place where he can learn how to defend himself. Evelyn though…gave him the best gift ever. Her love…and adoption papers. She also told him that he can pick one hobby. She said he can have more, but she can only pay for one. She named off a list of things he could do, like join a real hockey team instead of pickups, join a baseball team, play an instrument, and some other stuff he could do. That's when Jack remembered this boy that he had lived with for a while; it was his first foster home. The guy had also been in the foster system and was placed in the same home as him. He remembered the guitar the boy took with him everywhere. He even showed Jack how to play. Jack really like him. His name was Derek and he took good care of Jack. He never let the people who lived there pick on him. Derek turned 18 though and left and that was the last time Jack ever saw him.

Evelyn told Jack to sleep on it and then when he figured out what he wanted to do, he could just tell her.

That morning Jack woke up at six so that he could catch Evelyn and tell him he had made his decision. Jack leapt out of bed, got dressed, brushed his teeth and then went downstairs into the kitchen where he knew Evelyn would be.

"Oh, good morning Jack." Evelyn greeted sweetly as her youngest stepped into the kitchen.

"Hey Evelyn...I think I know what I want to do." Jack said quietly with his eyes glued to the floor.

Evelyn let a small, sweet laugh escape her mouth. "Okay Jacky, what is it you would like to do?" Evelyn asked as she flipped the bacon.

Jack hesitated before saying, "I kinda want to play the guitar."

Evelyn looked over at Jack, slightly shocked. None of her boys ever picked an instrument. She was actually happy that Jack picked to do so. Jack must have misinterpreted her look as a 'why would you want to do that' look because the next words out of his mouth were, "But if you don't want me too I don't have to."

"No, Jacky I think it's great that you want to play an instrument." She finished her cooking and placed the food on a plate and set in on the table before going over to Jack. "Jacky I really do think it's great that you want to play the guitar. Why don't I take you to go get one after work and then we can get you lessons. How's that sound?" Evelyn said excitedly. She was ecstatic that one of her boys wanted to play an instrument.

"I don't need lessons." Jack said quietly.

"Oh no it's fine sweety I can afford them." Evelyn assured him.

"No. I mean I don't need them. I already know how to play." Jack said looking up at her.

"Wow, that's really cool Jack I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me?" Evelyn asked amazed that the small boy already knew how.

"I don't know. I mean it's not really that important." Jack said, a little embarrassed that Evelyn was making such a deal out of it.

"Yeah I'm so excited! Okay well you know what, why don't we go right now. I know a boy who owns a shop and he opens at about five everyday. Why that early I don't know. But do you want to go?" Evelyn asked.

Jack nodded his head up and down.

"Okay well I'm gonna leave a note for the boys so they know where you are okay and then we can go." Evelyn said as she fished around for some paper.

As Evelyn drove up to the small guitar shop, Jack suddenly grew nervous. I mean he didn't know what kind to get. He just knew he could play and that he wanted to play.

"Okay Jacky, we're here." Evelyn said as she stepped out of the car. Jack followed her lead and walked into the shop with her.

When the bell rang telling the shop owner that they had come in Jack jumped a little. Evelyn noticed and placed a calming hand on his shoulder that made him relax.

"Oh Ms. Evelyn I haven't seen you in a while!" Jack heard the unexpected voice and whipped around to see someone at the counter. Jack gawked as he realized who it was.

"Well hi Derek! Nice to see that your shop is in such good condition." Evelyn admired.

Derek let out a laugh at the thought of his shop being in good condition. Nothing in Detroit was in good condition. As Derek was thinking this he noticed the boy standing next to Evelyn. He seemed really familiar to him.

"Who's the kid, Evelyn?" Derek asked kindly.

"Oh sorry, this is Jack." Evelyn introduced. That's when Derek realized who it was. He remembered the boy from his last foster home. The kid had only just been put in the system at the age of six and yet the poor kid looked like he had been threw every horror possible. He had bruises and cuts all over and he just looked like straight up death. It was horrible seeing such a young boy in such a state. He had apparently just been released from the hospital. The foster home they were in was on the abusive side so he would protect the kid. He felt horrible when he had to leave. He asked social services for custody of the kid and they told him no. Now he's standing in front of him with a huge scar across his face.

"Oh my god, Jacky?! I can't believe it's you!" Derek shouted making Jack jump a little. Derek knew it was just a reaction and that he wasn't actually scared of him though so he jumped out from behind the counter and embraced the boy in a brotherly like hug.

"Derek?" Jack asked still some what stunned.

"Damn kid, I didn't think I'd ever see you again." Derek released Jack and just looked at the shocked kid. "Look Jack, man, I'm sorry I left, but they wouldn't let me have custody of ya." Derek said sadly.

"It's fine." Jack said looking down at his feet.

"How do you two know each other?" Evelyn asked in a surprised voice.

Derek turned to look at her. "I was in Jack's first home. He was my little buddy. He don't look so little anymore though. Damn kid you grown."

"Watch your language Derek." Evelyn scolded. "But I must say this is rather convenient. You see Jack here wants to play guitar." Evelyn said proudly.

Derek turned to Jack and gave him a soft and proud look. "You a good kid Jacky. Here let me go get you a guitar." Derek left the room and came back with an old some what beat up guitar.

Jack's eyes looked confused. "Here kid, it's yours." Derek said holding it out to him.

Jack took it from him carefully as if he would drop it. "But, this was your dad's." Jack said still confused as to why he would give his most prized possession to someone like him. Derek's dad had died when he was thirteen and this was the only thing of his dads that he was able to keep and carry with him from house to house.

"Yeah I know kid. But I don't feel that it should die with me and go on to whomever or end up in some junk pile. And I can't think of anyone better for it to live on in. You know kid, you're a quick learner and you'll do great things with that some day. It's yours. If you want it. I mean it's not exactly new." Derek said.

Jack stared at him in awe. "Thank you Derek." That was all he could say. That's all he needed to say. Derek could see how much this meant to him and was glad that he put that feeling there.

"No problem Jacky." Derek said back to him, ruffling his hair a little.

After a comfortable moment of silence, Evelyn spoke. "Well as much I have enjoyed this I really got to get to work. Jacky why don't you go ahead and get in the car I'll be out there in a little bit." Evelyn said.

Jack started to head towards the door when he realized who vulnerable he would be to his father if he went out alone. So he whipped back around and gave Evelyn a worried look in which his eyes told her exactly what she was thinking.

"Oh shit, I can't believe I almost did that. I'm glad you caught that Jack. Okay well god stand over there for a second." She said pointing to the far side of the wall.

Jack did as he was told and just stood over there for a second. He was completely out of hearing range when they whispered.

"Thanks Derek I think that meant a lot to him." Evelyn said sweetly.

"No problem, but I was wondering why he wouldn't go sit in the car on his own." Derek commented.

Evelyn sighed heavily. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. But not right now, so I was wondering if you could come over tonight."

Derek nodded. He knew something was wrong and if Evelyn was going to ask for help then it was serious. "Okay Ms. Evelyn, I know where you live. What time?" He asked.

"How's 12:00? I know it's late, but I don't want to risk Jack waking up."

"Alright I'll see you tonight then."

Evelyn gave him a smile. "Thanks Derek it means a lot." Evelyn started to walk towards the door. "Bye Derek, come on Jack." Evelyn called to them before exiting the shop with Jack and his new guitar not far behind.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

That night Derek showed up just like Evelyn instructed him too. When he got there he was ushered into the kitchen where Bobby was sitting. Evelyn and Derek took seats at the table and Evelyn explained Jack's father to him and the threat that he was now posing against Jack.

Derek couldn't help but let a few tears slip by. "Oh my god, I just can't believe his father got a hold of him again. I saw what he looked like when he came out of the hospital and into his first foster home with me. It wasn't pretty."

Everyone at the table nodded.

"Derek I was just wondering if maybe you could pick Jack up from school or be at the house with him if there's no one here that is available?" Evelyn asked even though she hated asking people for favors.

"Of course Evelyn, whenever you need me, just call me and I can be there in a second." Derek replied confidently.

Evelyn smiled brightly at him and thanked him. After a little more talking Derek left and everyone went to bed feeling a little better about Jack never being alone.

A week later it was time for Jack's first day at the new school. Jack dressed himself in a long sleeved T-shirt, a hoodie, and a pair of baggy pants. He was self conscious about the scars and would do anything possible to keep people from noticing them.

"Good morning Jacky." Evelyn greeted him as he walked down the stairs, back pack in hand. "Take a seat and eat some breakfast." She set a plate of toast and bacon in front of him.

By the time Jack had finished eating Angel and Jerry came down the stairs.

"Boys, you're going to be late." Evelyn scolded. "Here." She handed each of the boys a lunch bag and gave both Jerry and Angel toast to go.

"Bye Ma." Jerry and Angel said one at a time, each giving her a good bye kiss on the cheek.

"Bye Evelyn." Jack said timidly as he pulled his hood up so no one could see the scar on his face.

Evelyn gave him a large smile and kissed him on the top of the head. Jack blushed with embarrassment and trotted off behind his older brothers.

Bobby was already in the car and was waiting to drive them to the school. Normally they would take the bus, but Evelyn didn't think that Jack could handle being on a Closter phobic bus. The kid couldn't bare it when anyone in the house raised their voices, Bobby couldn't imagine how he was going to handle school.

After a few minutes of being in the car they pulled up to the school and Bobby put the car in park. Everyone sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Jack," Bobby started. "Angel has lunch with you everyday and will stick to you until the first bell rings and he'll be waiting for you outside your last class everyday to take you back to the car okay?"

Jack nodded nervously.

"The principle is allowing Angel and Jerry to cut class a little early to go to your class before it lets out so don't worry about that." Bobby tried to reassure his nervous look.

After no reply from Jack Bobby let out a tired sigh. "Okay then, everyone out."

Jerry was the first out of the car, then Angel, and then Jack. Angel and Jerry walked on either side of Jack as they walked up the crowded school steps.

Jack kept his scared face down and clutched the straps to his back pack like they were his life line. Everyone moved out of the way for the Mercers. No one wanted to go head first with them. They received a series of curious looks from people who noticed that they were acting like body guards to Jack.

After they went to the office with Jack and got him enrolled properly, they showed him where all his classes would be. The last class they showed him was his first class of the day so once they reached it the bell rang saying to get to class.

Jack began to shake. "Jack it'll be fine I promise." Angel told him as he headed off to class. Jack filed in being the first in class.

The teacher heard his door open and was surprised since none of his students came in right after the first bell rang.

"Hello, son, what's your name?" The man asked nicely.

"Jack." The boy answered timidly. "Jack Mercer."

Ahhh. The man remembered being told about the boy and that he was above his grade and had been moved up to freshmen. He was also told that the kid had some issues with loud noises and being touched. He had arranged for the boy to be in the back corner because of that.

"Hello Jack. My name is Mr. Larson and I will be teaching you Geography. You can go ahead and take your seat in the very back right corner." He said nicely to Jack as other students began to file in.

Jack quickly took his seat and kept his head lowered and his hood up. The room was full of people as everyone began to take their seats that had their names on the desk. Jack felt like he was going to have a heart attack he was so scared. School wasn't a usual thing for him.

Just then the second bell rang and the last of the students filed in. There were only two seats in the room that weren't filled; the one in front of him and the one next to him.

After about ten minutes of class starting two students walked in; one with a bloody nose and the other with a bloody lip. They were glaring at each other as they both handed the teacher a slip of paper.

The teacher let out a sigh. "Fighting on the first day of school, really?" He said disappointed in them. "Your seats are over by Jack in the back right corner."

The two of them filed back towards me. The one with the bloody lip sat in front of me and the one with the bloody nose sat next to me. What an interesting year this would be for Jack!

After a few minutes the kid in front of Jack turned around to face him. "Hi, I'm Trip. And you're…Jack right?"

Jack stiffened, but decided to be friendly. "Yeah."

"Cool. Are you new to this school? I don't remember you from middle school?" Trip asked curiously.

"Yeah." Jack answered again keeping his head down.

"Man of few words I see. That's okay, I respect that." Jack actually liked this Trip guy.

"Mister…Mason is it?" The teacher called out impatiently. Trip turned around.

"Yes sir?" He asked innocently.

"Please turn around and stop talking during my class. Oh and Mister…" The teacher looked at a piece of paper sitting on the table in front of him and looked back up. "Mister Lauder, please take your hat off during my class."

The kid next to me looked up at the teacher with an irritated look on his face. "Why should I?" He said in a nasty tone.

"Because it's school policy." Mr. Larson said simply enough.

"Well then why does he get to keep his hood up? It's the same as a hat." The boy next to Jack tattled.

Jack grew nervous. All eyes were on the back of the room where the three of them were.

"Fair enough. Jack, can you please remove your hood." The teacher asked as the kid next to me began to remove his hat.

"Jack please put your hood down or I'll have to send you to the office for disobeying directions." He said sternly.

Jack slowly pushed his hood down and when he did he heard a large gasp from everyone in the room.

"Umm….th-thank you Jack." The teacher faltered out. "Everyone's attention back to the board please."

After a few more minutes Trip turned around again. "Hey, don't pay attention to them. They're just a bunch of idiots." Trip flashed a smile at him before he turned back around.

After class was over Jack practically ran to Algebra, his next class. Again, everyone stared at him and the huge scar that ran across his face.

After Algebra he had lunch and just like Bobby said, Angel was there in the lunch hall. Jack ran up to Angel and stuck to his side. At first they were eating alone and then someone unexpected joined them…Trip.

"Hey Jack." He said as he sat down.

"Hi." Jack said hesitantly.

Angel figured that Jack didn't like the kid and was giving Trip a threatening look and began to stand to go kick his ass.

"Wow there." Trip said defensively as he waved his hands in the air in surrender.

"Angel. It's okay he's not a bad guy." Jack said to defend him.

Angel nodded and sat back down. Then immediately after he had taken his seat again, the intercom called for Angel to the office. Jack stared at Angel practically begging him not to leave.

"Jack I gotta go. You'll be fine in lunch okay. Anyone with a brain knows not to touch a Mercer." Angel walked off after that.

"Whoa dude you're a Mercer?" Trip asked in amazement.

Jack nodded.

"That's cool. I've seen Bobby fight before at a hockey match. You got some pretty cool bro's."

"Yeah, they're pretty cool." Jack said quietly.

Before the conversation could continue, the boy who had, had the bloody nose pulled up a seat across the table from Trip and Jack.

Trip's facial expressions went from happy-go-lucky to deadly. "What do you want Zack?"

"A real fight where there won't be any teachers to save your sorry ass." The boy said in a cocky tone.

Trip's face relaxed and he laughed. "Your ass is the one that got saved Mi Amigo."

"Haha very funny. I'm serious. Meet me at the rink after school." Zack told him.

"Yeah whatever." Trip responded and Zack took leave. "I hate that kid." Trip said with a weird expression on his face.

"Why?" Jack asked curiously.

"He just makes life harder. I got to much shit in my life already and I don't want to have to deal with his dumb ass." Trip told Jack not looking at him.

Jack nodded. "I hear ya."

Trip looked him in the eye. "Yeah I thought so."

Jack lowered his head, slightly ashamed.

"Dude you gotta quit doin that." Trip said.

Jack looked at him confused. "Doing what?"

"Being all timid and stuff. That'll get you bullied, be you a Mercer or not. I don't mean to scare you, but you will get in a fight sooner or later and it's necessary to fight back. Even if they win in the end, you always should fight back." Trip said in all seriousness.

Jack smiled at him and looked him right in the eye. "You make it sound like I'd be the one to loose."

Trip gave him a surprised and approving look just before the bell rang.

* * *

**Sorry it's been so long that I've updated guys, but I guess I'm just slacking, sorry. I did try to make this a semi long chapter though and I liked it so I hope you like it. Tell me what you think. Oh and Trip and Jack are not going to become a gay couple or anything. I have nothing against gay or bi people I just see Jack like that. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

The second that the bell rang, Jack jumped out of his chair and was greeted by his two brothers, Angel and Jerry, at the door. As they exited the school, Jerry on his left and Angel on his right, he noticed that Bobby was already in his car waiting. He felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth. He couldn't remember ever feeling so…just loved and safe.

"Hey Cracker Jack!" Bobby greeted as Jack and Angel hopped into the backseat while Angel took shot gun.

"Hi Bobby." Jack replied back.

"So was school as bad as you thought it would be?" Bobby asked as they pulled out into the street.

"It was okay." Jack said really meaning what he said.

"Yeah, little Jacky here made a friend." Angel said in sarcastic baby talk.

"Ah shut up man." Jerry barked at his immature younger brother. "What's the kid's name?" he asked curiously.

"Trip Mason." Jack answered.

"Oh hey I know that kid. He plays hockey at the rink sometimes. I think he's also one of Ma's friends adopted kid. That's about all I know though. Is he a good kid?" Bobby said suddenly feeling very knowledgeable.

"Yeah, he's nice." Jack replied.

"Well aren't we a chatterbox today." Angel said sarcastically as they pulled into the driveway.

Once they got into the house they all went to their designated areas; Bobby to the couch, Angel the kitchen, Jerry outside on the front porch to talk on the phone with Camille, and Jack in his room. Once Evelyn got home they all gathered around in the kitchen and family room, immersing themselves in Evelyn's presence.

"So how was school honey?" Evelyn asked kindly as she worked on making dinner.

"It was okay I guess." Jack answered the question for the second time that day.

"Well that's good. I'm glad everything turned out okay."

Jack nodded his head.

After dinner Jack dismissed himself straight to his room. He collapsed on his bed and the second his head hit the pillow he fell asleep.

When Jack got to his first class the next morning, Algebra, Trip was also in there. He had a black eye, but a big smile on his face.

"Hey, Jack, come sit here. In this class we pick our seats. How exciting right?!" Trip said sarcastically.

Jack let out a light laugh and then Trip went into detail about the fight in the park. Apparently Trip kicked Zack's ass. He wasn't bragging about it or anything, just informing.

"So what's he look like?" Jack asked curiously referring to any bruises and blood that Zack might have.

"Dude I broke his nose and split his lip. Nothing major since he pussy'd out after only a few hits. Guys all talk." Trip said shaking his head in disappointment at the thought of not being able to have a real fight.

Everything that day was going fine for Jack until after second block when Zack came up to him and pushed him against a locker. Jack felt the air leave his lungs and suppressed a grunt.

All Jack could think right then was _'Where's Angel? He's supposed to meet me after every block. Where is he?'_

"Hey dipshit!" Zack spat in his face as students began to gather around them. "Apologize!"

Now Jack was confused. He hadn't done anything wrong. "About what?" He asked quietly.

Zack smirked. "About just a minute ago when you shoved into me you fag!"

Jack didn't answer him. He hadn't done anything wrong, therefore he wasn't going to apologize, but he wasn't going to back talk either because this kid was twice his size and could probably eat him for breakfast.

"Apologize!" He yelled in his face again. Then he leaned in against Jack, slowly tightening a hand around Jack's neck making it hard to breathe, and whispered in his ear. "Your dumb ass brothers aren't here to protect you now are they? I bet they don't even care about you. Probably just listening to what ever your whore mother tells them to do."

He started to laugh, but couldn't really because just after those words were spoken Jack launched a fist into Zack's stomach, then his eye, then his gut again, then his cheek bone, and so on and so on. He couldn't stop himself. He just kept hitting and hitting. Everything was red. He didn't even realize what he was doing. It was just pure rage that was driving him. He continued until a pair of strong arms lifted Jack off of a now unconscious Zack.

Jack turned around on instinct and anger and set a right hook against his holders face.

"Shit, Jack, calm down." Angel said letting go of Jack and rubbing his jaw.

Jack's suddenly looked shocked at the fact that he would hit Angel and then confusion to why he hit Angel. Before he could ask any questions a teacher barged his way through the crowd of kids.

"What's going on h-" The teacher didn't finish the sentence. When he saw Zack laying bloodied, bruised, and unconscious on the ground he grew livid.

"I demand to know who did this." There was silence. "Now!" He yelled.

Jack turned from Angel and saw Zack on the floor as he was. Then he noticed the blood on his hands and his split knuckles. Jack just stared at his hands in horror and confusion.

"Jack, you okay man?" Angel asked putting a hand on Jack's shoulder.

Jack flinched away on instinct and then gave Angel a lost and pained look.

"You!" The teacher yelled as he stepped towards Jack looking at the boys hands and the red ring around his neck. "Come with me now!" He barked as he grabbed Jack's arm roughly increasing Jack's breathing.

Angel quickly pried the teachers hand away from his brother afraid that he was about to have an anxiety attack.

The teacher looked absolutely outraged by Angel's actions. "What do you think you're doing Mercer?" The man hissed out.

Angel straightened himself up making him look more intimidating and glared the man down. "This is my lil bro and I'm taking him home. You can yell at me all you want, but you take a look at him and tell me if you think this was his fault." Angel said keeping his voice firm and even.

The teacher glanced at the boys face and saw how out of it he was. He was shaking slightly and was still staring at his hands. His eyes were glazed over and his face was somber yet stoic. The man's face softened.

"Call your brother to come pick you up and I'll notify your mother. We will have to deal with this though." The teacher said.

Angel just nodded and carefully led Jack out of the crowd of people.

**

* * *

I am so so so so sorry. I haven't updated in like a bazillion years and I'm a bitch for it. Please forgive me. I hope this chapter is okay. I'm once again VERY sorry.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"Jack honey?" Evelyn said desperately trying to get her son to talk to her.

When Jack was walked through the front door by Bobby and Angel, Evelyn didn't know what to do. She had never seen someone so withdrawn from themselves before. Jack looked so far gone that it scared her.

After she got Jack all cleaned up and dress into some clean clothes, she, Angel, and Bobby all sat around him in the living room trying to get him to talk to them. Bobby and Evelyn sat on either sides of him and Angel sitting Indian style in front of them on the floor.

"Jack, baby talk to me. What happened?" Evelyn asked.

"Jack…do you trust us?" Bobby said sounding almost hurt.

Jack slowly turned his head and nodded his head up and down furiously.

"Then tell us Jack. What happened?" Angel said

Then Evelyn started in. "We know what he said to you, the principal called, one of the kids told him what happened. What we don't get is why it bothered you so much. It's not like you to get angry about things like that. So why did you start hitting him?" Angel finished for Bobby.

Jack's eyes grew wide and tears started to spring out so he quickly shut them trying to just block everything out.

Evelyn gently took hold of Jack's chin and faced him towards her. "Jack…listen to me, okay? You can tell us. I know it might be painful, but it's not good for you to keep it all in like this. It's tearing you apart baby boy. Just let it go and tell us what it was that bothered you so." Evelyn egged on.

Jack opened his eyes and looked and Evelyn with nothing but pain in reflecting in his eyes.

"He reminded me of him." Jack spoke quietly, suddenly falling back into the memory of his haunted past.

_Jack was pinned against the wall, his father's hand holding a death grip around his fragile neck. It was Jack's first day being back in his fathers care. It was a mistake on the social workers part and because of it Jack was going to have to pay._

"_It's so nice to see you again Jack. Aren't you glad to see me?" His father asked knowing full well that Jack couldn't answer because he wasn't getting a whole lot of air into his lungs and his throat was to tightly restricted. _

"_Answer me boy!" His father yelled, tightening his grip. Jack struggled, but he could already feel the effects of the lack of oxygen setting in and his vision was becoming blurry. Just then his father released him causing him to drop to the ground frantically gasping for air._

"_Apologize." His father demanded in a flat voice._

"_I-I'm sorry." Jack heaved out still trying to fill his lungs with air._

"_What are you sorry for?" He asked._

_Jack paused trying to think of something to be sorry for other than his existence when a fist connected mercilessly with his already bruised face. Jack whimpered._

"_What are you sorry for?" He asked yet again, but this time with a more demanding tone._

"_F-for leaving?" Jack guessed, hoping it was the right answer._

"_Is that a question or an answer?" He questioned, eyes narrowed._

"_A-an answer sir." Jack replied timidly._

_After a moments silence a smirk broke across his fathers face. "Good. Good boy."_

_He bent down to Jack's level on the ground making Jack back away. Jack's father once again griped Jack by the neck, pulling him forward again. "Those annoying cops aren't here to protect you now huh? You know what I think. I think that they never even cared about you. I mean how could they, you're just a worthless piece of shit. Aren't I right?" He asked letting go of Jack roughly resulting in him hitting his head hard against the wall. That's when Jack blacked out. And that…was just the beginning of day one for Jack. _

"Jack!" Evelyn said in a panicked voice softly griping his hands in her own.

Jack snapped out of his memory and looked at Evelyn and how worried she looked. Then his eyes wandered to Bobby and his worried expression and then to Angel's.

"Sorry Angel, I didn't mean to hit you, I swear." Jack said almost fearfully seeing the purple ring forming around Angel's eye.

Angel looked at him surprised. "Man, don't be worrying about me. Where did you just go Jacky? You like zoned out forever."

Jack looked down at his feet. "I'm sorry, I just…" He didn't want to explain to them what he was remembering.

"It's okay Jack. You were remembering something weren't you?" Evelyn said understandingly.

Jack nodded.

"You want to tell me about it. The boys don't have to listen." Evelyn suggested kindly.

Jack considered it and then nodded slowly. Bobby and Angel both tossled Jack's hair before the left the room and went upstairs.

Jack shed many tears as he explained to Evelyn what he remembered. Evelyn put all her effort into keeping herself together as he told the story. Once he finished Evelyn sat with him on the couch, his head in her lap as she comfortingly rubbed his back. Things weren't perfect in the Mercer house, but Jack had come a long way and Evelyn knew that it could only get better. As long as Jack's dad stayed out of the picture.

**I hope you liked it. I've kinda been on a role in writing. Don't know if it'll go on. Hope it does, but I hope this chapter wasn't to disappointing, I know it was kinda short. Sorry!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"Jack, what do you mean you didn't know what you were doing?" Evelyn asked Jack after she had to break the news that the school demanded he go to therapy.

"I don't know. I just saw…red. I just felt rage. I didn't know that I was actually expressing it. I didn't mean to hurt him like that. I swear Evelyn. Please don't make me go see a therapist." Jack begged.

Evelyn shook her head from side to side. "Sorry Jack, but you know Zach's parents aren't very happy and they agreed to drop any charges they planned on if you go to therapy. And, who knows Jack, it might be helpful." She told him hoping to lighten his mood a little.

"Oh come on Ma, you know as well as I do that therapy don't do shit." Bobby said with a sneer as he walked into the conversation Jack and Evelyn were having in the living room.

"You went to therapy?" Jack asked curiously.

"Sure did, can't say I liked it much. In fact, as I recall, I was told therapy would just be a waste of time for someone of my thinking intellect." Bobby said pointing to his head and putting on a, what was supposed to be, a 'smart' look.

Evelyn frowned. "Really, because as I recall, you were told therapy would be a waste of time because no matter how many new therapists you got they always ended up crying from frustration or with a black eye."

Jack gave Evelyn a horrific look. "So therapy is going to make me do more angry things?"

Bobby let out a loud laugh. "See what comes of telling lies Ma. You made the lil cracker scared."

"Bobby Mercer, I do not tell lies." Evelyn scolded then turning to Jack and making her expression soft again. "Jack, Bobby is different from you, okay? Look, it'll be okay I promise. Your first appointment is in a couple hours. He'll decide when he thinks it's okay for you to go back to school." She explained.

Jack nodded, but you could definitely tell that he wasn't to ecstatic about the idea.

"Jack? I'm sorry honey, but I have to go to work now. Bobby's going to take you to your session. Don't worry honey, It'll all be fine." Evelyn got up and opened the front door. "Bye boys." And then she was gone.

Bobby flung himself on the couch next to Jack and was rewarded with a small flinch. "So, Cracker Jack, you excited."

Jack glared at him. "Out of everyone who could have taken me, I got stuck with you." He muttered under his breathe.

"Oh come on Jacky, it's not that bad." Bobby's tone changed from playful to serious. "I know you told Ma, but you wanna tell me why you freaked out on that kid?"

Jack looked down and subconsciously started staring at his hands. "No."

Bobby felt a tinge of hurt when Jack didn't want to tell him, but he understood. "You know Jacky, I'm always here to listen and kick ass." He reassured him.

Jack looked up into Bobby's eyes searching for lies. "Thanks Bobby." He said quietly.

Bobby smiled and ruffled Jack's unkept hair.

**BREAK**

"Jack Mercer?" The secretary called.

Bobby led Jack up to the front desk. He could see the boy was nervous and wanted more than anything to not be there.

"This is Jack." Bobby said for him since Jack wasn't going to answer.

The secretary smiled brightly at him. "Well then, you'll be seeing Dr. Thrasher, second door on the right."

Jack nodded and then just stood there. Bobby couldn't help but role his eyes. "Come on kid." Bobby said as he gave Jack a small push in the right direction.

Jack went reluctantly.

When Jack opened the door and stepped in he was instantly greeted by a tall and lanky man with a suit and tie on.

"Hi, you must be Jack, I'm Dr. Thrasher. It's very nice to meet you." The Dr. held out his hand, but Jack didn't take it so he just let it drop. "You can take a seat over there."

The Dr. motioned to a love seat that was seated up against the wall. Jack took a seat and waited for whatever came next. "Our goal for you being here is to not only help you over come things and come at peace with things, but for us to build a bond that will allow you to open up and feel comfortable around me."

The Dr. took a seat in a swivel chair across from him and took out a rather large file and a notepad and pen.

"So, why don't we get started?" The Dr. suggested. "Where would you like to begin Jack?"

Jack cringed and just didn't answer.

The Dr. just let out a sigh with a tinge of disappointment and wrote something down on his paper. "What's that for?" Jack asked feeling judged and very uncomfortable.

"This is just so I can document any kind of behavior or anything you say that I feel like I might need to remember. Your case is rather unique and I want to make sure I don't miss any important information." He explained.

For some reason what he had just said didn't set to well with Jack. "I'm not some kind of lab rat you know."

"No, no of course not. Now how bout we start with your father." The Dr. said side stepping what Jack had said.

Jack looked down at the floor and could feel himself start to shake. He could also hear the Dr.'s pen scribbling away and that made him angry.

"Is something upsetting you about this particular subject Jack?" The Dr. asked.

Jack couldn't believe what a dumb ass this guy was. Just what kind of question was that?

The Dr. continued when he didn't get a response from Jack. "Is he maybe the reason that you assaulted that boy for no reason?"

Jack's head snapped up and he had an 'I dare you' kind of threatening look on his face that made the Dr. fidget slightly.

"Jack, I want you to know that giving me dirty looks and ignoring me won't get effective results." The Dr. continued.

"You're all bullshit." Jack spat.

"What does that mean Jack?" The Dr. asked readying his pen.

Jack let out an angry huff. "It means that you're not interested in helping me, you're interested in fixing me."

"Jack, I'm not sure what the difference there is, but I do want to help you. I think for that to happen though I'm going to need a little more cooperation." The Dr. said with a slightly harsher voice.

"Yeah, well I don't think you know jack shit, so I'm outa here." Jack stood and just as he had his hand on the door knob a hand roughly gripped his upper arm and held him still.

"Jack, we need to finish, I'm only trying to help and you need to understand that." The Dr. persisted.

Jack tensed under the man's grip. "No, what I need is for you to let got before I kick your ass."

"Kind of like how you kicked that boy, Zack's, ass?" He asked still trying to coax Jack into talking.

"No, that was an accident. I'm far more deadly when I know what I'm doing." Jack hissed glaring up at the man.

Jack started to turn the knob and was surprised when the Dr. roughly pulled him back making Jack stumble a little. "Jack, I'm not here to harm you, I'm here to help. All you have to do is let me. Now please take a seat."

"No." Jack stepped forward and when the Dr. moved to step in his way he didn't even hesitate in hitting the man with an upper cut to the jaw.

The Dr. hit the ground with a thud and a loud grunt. Jack quickly exited the room and near ran down the hall to Bobby with his heart beating wildly against his chest.

Bobby stood quickly when he saw the angry look on Jack's face. He was about to ask him what had happened when Dr. Thrasher came down the hall with a bloody lip and a bruising spot across his jaw.

The Dr. started to approach Jack, but Bobby stepped in front stopping the Dr. dead in his tracks.

"What's going on here?" Bobby asked toughly.

"He got mad when I told him to sit down and he hit me." The Dr. answered coolly.

Bobby looked at him disbelievingly and looked behind him at Jack.

"He wouldn't let me leave." Jack said.

Bobby noticed a small patch of discoloration peeking out from under the arm of Jack's shirt sleeve. He reached out and lifted the sleeve revealing fingerprint shaped marks that were starting to bruise.

Bobby whipped around and faced the Dr. taking a step forward. "You don't _ever_ grab my brother like that or I'll grab your neck and I promise you I don't let go until you've stopped breathing. Do you hear me?" He said in a low and deadly voice.

The Dr. nodded and turned around retreating back to his room.

"Come on Jacky, we're going home, Ma'll have his ass in a shit load of trouble over this." Bobby spoke as they walked out of the building and across the parking lot.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

When Bobby and Jack entered the Mercer household everyone was sitting in the living room except for Evelyn who was cooking dinner. When Bobby said that Jack sent a mean uppercut in to therapists jaw Angel busted out laughing and Jerry rubbed disapprovingly at his temples, but was unable to hide the smirk from spreading across his face.

"God Bobby, you really are rubbing off on the kid you know!" Angel laughed out gasping for air.

"You really shouldn't look up to Bobby you know Jack? He's a bad influence." Jerry spoke trying to be reasonable, but failing miserably when a small laugh escaped his on lips.

Jack blushed and looked at the ground.

"First of all you ass holes, I am a great example and if everyone followed my philosophy the world would be a better place." Bobby spoke trying to sound intelligent ending in another roar of laughter from Angel and Jerry and a small grin from Jack.

"Bobby if everyone followed your philosophy everyone would be in jail and people would be pulling 9mm's on anyone who looked at them wrong." Angel said erupting into laughter once more.

"Bobby," Jerry spoke, "do you even know what a philosophy is?"

Bobby smacked them both hard across the back of their heads and frowned at them.

"Anyway, as I was saying, secondly…Jack didn't hit him for the reason's I hit my therapists." Bobby said seriously.

"So what you're saying is that Jack didn't just hit him for no reason?" Angel asked both seriously and making fun of Bobby.

Bobby frowned again but ignored Angel and continued. "Jack, show em your arm." He demanded softly but sternly; Angel and Jerry no longer finding anything amusing.

Jack took a step back and felt like disappearing. He didn't think it was any big deal. It was just a few bruises and they weren't even bad, they didn't even hurt. Why was Bobby making such a big deal about this? As long as he didn't have to see that ass ever again he'd be happy, so why was Bobby pressing the subject. Jack didn't understand.

Bobby let out a sigh at Jack's unwillingness. "Ma," Bobby hollered, "Can you get in here for a sec?"

A few seconds later Evelyn entered the room with a slightly worried expression on her face at the tone Bobby used.

"What's wrong Bobby?" Evelyn asked concern flooding her face.

"Jack." Bobby said looking back at his little brother who kept inching back further.

Evelyn looked at Jack expectantly. "Jack, what's wrong?" She asked.

"It's nothing. Really, Bobby's just making a big deal out of it." Jack spoke honestly.

"Okay well go ahead and show me and I'll tell you if it's nothing okay?" Evelyn suggested softly.

Jack nodded reluctantly and lifted his sleeve revealing already purple finger marks on his upper arm.

Evelyn's face flooded with confusion and worry. Angel and Jerry looked angry.

"Who did that Jacky?" Evelyn demanded in a gentle voice.

"That doctor son of a bitch." Bobby said seething.

In a spilt second Evelyn's face turned from a gentle old womanly look to one of pure rage. She looked calm but deadly, the boys hadn't ever remembered seeing her like this before.

"Ma? You okay?" Jerry asked softly.

After a moment of silence Evelyn finally answered. "I'm okay, but he won't be when I'm done with him in court." Her voice was flawless and composed, but it held a danger that not even THE Bobby Mercer could mimic.

"I don't understand why it's such a big deal. It doesn't hardly even hurt. It's not like I haven't had worse." Jack said, clearly confused at why even Evelyn was going into an outrage.

Evelyn let some of the anger drain away before she kneeled down in front of Jack taking his hands into her's. Jack felt uncomfortable by the serious look on Evelyn's face and the way she had a hint of pity in her eyes mixed with anger. Evelyn never had either one of those emotions on her face and Jack didn't know what to think about them.

"Jack, look at me." Evelyn insisted and she made sure that she had Jack's full attention. When she did, she continued in a strong but tender voice. "Jack no matter how small the injury or bruise it is inexcusable for an adult to harm a child; even more so when the adult has _committed _there life to help youth in need. That Dr. promised to help you and he betrayed that trust when he left that bruise. Do you understand why I'm so upset?" Evelyn asked through determined eyes.

Jack nodded, but in reality he didn't understand. No matter what she said it was still just a small bruise and it's not like it was hurting him any.

Bobby let out an exhausted sigh. "No he doesn't."

Evelyn looked into Jack's eyes for a long while before dropping his hands and standing, embracing him in a hug. "I know you don't understand what I'm saying, but with time I'm hoping you will. No child should ever be touched in a harmful way." She spoke in a soft whisper to him.

Jack didn't know what to think about all this. It didn't make any sense. He knew people weren't allowed to hurt him, but they did, so then why should what Evelyn say matter? What people have done to him is only bad because they were to stupid to cover the tracks on Jack's body. If people didn't want to see something, they wouldn't, unless it was obvious and they were forced to see in which case they acted disgusted with the person who had hurt Jack. But who's really the disgusting one? The one who openly just hurts Jack or the ones who turn an ignorant eye on him and pretend they don't notice Jack's pain?

"Jacky!?" Bobby yelled making Jack jump.

"W-what?" Jack asked confused.

"Honey you just like zoned out for almost a full three minutes. Are you okay?" Evelyn asked really concerned.

"Yeah I'm fine. Can I go to my room now?" Jack asked sheepishly.

Evelyn gave him a sad look before nodding. Jack turned around and slowly walked up the stairs, closing his door behind him once he entered his room.

"Ma, what's up with him?" Angel asked at a loss.

Evelyn shook her head. "He's just thinking sweety. He's lost." She spoke sadly as she retreated back into the kitchen.

The boys stayed in the living room not knowing how to help their little brother. All they knew was violence to fix problems. Yeah they could talk and give emotional comfort, but Jack was past that and needed something more. They didn't know what to do for that.

"Dammit!" Bobby hissed. "What the hell are we supposed to do? He scared the shit outa me when he just lost it there."

"He didn't loose it Bobby. It was more like he wasn't here, like he was stuck in his head. He's battling a war inside Bobby and for that there's really not a whole lot we can do." Jerry reasoned helplessly.

"It's damn aggravating." Angel joined in.

"Oh, no shit!" Bobby said sarcastically.

* * *

**I hope that wasn't a horrible ending. I know it wasn't great but maybe exceptable? I hope you liked it. I hope it's not to confusing. Give me your thaoughts please. Flaming is fine but please be nice. I have low slef esteem. biya hope you enjoyed it!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Okay so I erased chaper 19 and added onto 18 so find out where to start reading from. I like this chapter 100% better than what I had. Tell me what you think. bye, hope you like it!**

**Chapter 18**

"Jack, because of Dr. Thrasher, the court has agreed that therapy may not be the best choice and they said that they think you should just go to school next year with a new start. They said that you can study at home and then just take a test for all your core classes once a week. Does that sound okay?" Evelyn asked softly as she sat at the end of his bed waiting for a reply.

"Yeah, that's fine." Jack said in an apathetic manner.

Evelyn nodded sadly and stood to leave. "Oh, Jack, I almost forgot. I saw Trip and his mother the other day and Trip asked me to say hi."

Jack looked surprised. After what he did, he didn't think anyone could possibly see him as anything but a monster.

"Jack, honey what's wrong, you look confused?" Evelyn questioned.

Jack shook his head dismissively. "It's nothing."

Evelyn gave him one last look of concern before exiting the room.

Jack was about to lay back down when Jerry walked in the room.

"Hey little man. I heard you'd have to do a home study thing so I checked you out a ton of books on the things you'll need to know." Jerry said as he set about fifteen text book sized books on the floor next to his bed.

"Umm, thanks Jerry." Jack said already feeling the headache.

"Yeah, probably not your favorite, but it'll be helpful." He said with a shrug.

Jack knew Jerry was only doing what he knew to be helpful and he really did appreciate it. "Thanks Jer, really, I mean it."

Jerry laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure. Anyway, why don't you come on downstairs and eat lunch."

"Yeah, why don't you, I mean you missed breakfast for god's sake." Bobby said standing with his arms crossed in the doorway. "Oh, and don't get used to sleeping in all day either. You're gonna get up the same time you would for school and you're gonna study your ass off like you should be doing in school."

"Oh lay off Bobby." Angel said as he came up behind him and joined him in the door way. "Should we bring out your report card and guess how well _you_ studied?"

Bobby shoved Angel out into the hallway where he tripped over his feet and landed on his ass.

"God Bobby you're such a dick!" Angel yelled as he lunged for Bobby and tackled him to ground inside Jack's room where they wrestled.

"You guys are unbelievably immature. Grow up and set an example." Jerry bickered at them.

"What did you just say?!" Bobby yelled.

"You heard me." Jerry said calmly.

"Oh yeah." Angel said, both him and Bobby grabbed him and pulled him into the fight.

They continued with yelling at each other, shouting a variety of curses and throwing a ton of punches.

"Oh my god! Shut the fuck up and get out of my room!" Jack roared furiously.

All three of the boys stopped what they were doing and looked at Jack in astonishment as if they had totally forgotten he was there.

Before anyone could move or say anything Jack stormed out of the room.

"Shit, my bad." Bobby said standing up with the other three following suit.

Just then they heard the door slam.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess that was Jack." Angel laughed.

"Should he really be outside by himself with his dad still not found?" Jerry questioned.

As soon as he said that though they heard the door slam again and pretty soon Jack was back standing in his room looking extremely pissed off.

"Get out." Jack ordered in a deathly whisper.

All three just nodded their heads and left the room quietly. The second they stepped into the hall the door slammed and small click indicated that the door had just been locked.

"You boys just can't stay out of trouble can you?" Evelyn scolded as she stepped in front of them. "Jack honey, please come out. You need to eat something." She said as she knocked lightly on his door.

Pretty soon they heard a small click and the door opened slowly. Jack still looked perturbed, but his mood softened when he heard Evelyn's voice.

"Come on sweety." Evelyn said as she led Jack down the stairs past the boys that royally pissed him off.

Once down stairs Evelyn laid a sandwich in front of Jack and sat on the opposite side of the table. She watched as he took a bite of his sandwich. It was obvious that he was only eating for her benefit.

"Jack, I know life is kinda difficult at the moment, but it'll get better, I promise." Evelyn said feeling helpless with not being able to help him.

Jack knew Evelyn truly believed what she was saying, but he's had to many promises broken to just blindly buy into that. He wished he could, but things just were never easy for him like that.

"Jack?" A hesitant voice said from behind him.

Jack recognized it as Jerry's and turned around to see Bobby, Angel, and Jerry all standing in the doorway of the kitchen.

"What?" Jack asked indifferently.

"We were wondering if you wanted to come to the rink with us." Angel said tip toeing at the words.

Jack knew this was their idea of an apology, but he wasn't in the mood to forgive. He was just about to blow em off when Evelyn said, "That sounds like a great idea boys. Here Jack; take your sandwich with you in the car."

Jack couldn't believe he was actually sitting on the bleachers just watching his brothers play hockey. Of course he would have forgotten his skates at home. He didn't know how he could have forgotten to bring skates to go play hockey, but he did. He had been sitting there for over an hour as game after game went by. The cold was numbing. It felt good against his heated emotions.

"Been a long time." Jack felt a firm grip on his shoulder.

His whole body froze with fear. He knew that voice. It was one he had hoped to never hear again. He thought about screaming, but knew that would only make things worse.

"Why don't you come with me boy?" The voice sent chills down his spine.

He didn't know what to do.

"Now." The voice said firmly taking a rough grip on his upper arm and walking him off the bleachers and out of the rink.

_What do I do? Do I chance it and yell for Bobby or do I let my father take me again. _Jack thought desperately trying to pick out the right answer. Before he could decide on anything though, he was pulled sharply around a brick storage shed not to far from the rink.

"Now, Jacky boy. I know you've been avoiding me. That hurts me deeply." His father said sarcastically as he placed his hand dramatically over his heart. "I'd really like to take you home right now," Jack shuddered and thought he was going to pass out just by the thought of it. "_but_, there's still a few things I need to get done before your homecoming." Jack's father gripped him by the neck and squeezed until Jack's eyes started to roll back and then he let go and before Jack could fall to the ground he roughly pinned him against the wall, straining his shoulders.

Jack coughed and gasped, desperate to get air. Before he could fully recover, his father delivered a merciless hit to the stomach. Jack felt like his insides had just been twisted and were about to spew out.

"You okay there Jack?" His father said in false concern.

Jack didn't answer, or more like couldn't answer. At this point he was so oxygen deprived and in so much pain that words were impossible to form.

"Well, that doesn't really matter I guess. Just so you know though," His father leaned in, still pinning him against the wall, and whispered in his ear. "They can't protect you. I'll always find you Jack. You're my property and no one else is to have you unless I'm getting profit out of it or I'm looking for amusement. I'll come back for you, and when I do, it'll be the last time you leave my custody." He smiled wickedly in Jack's terror stricken face. "Oh, and I'm a little jealous of this branding on your face. It's to definite. I think I'll make it mine."

Jack wanted to run, but didn't have the energy to. So when his father threw Jack on the ground, straddled him, and pulled out a knife; there was nothing Jack could do. His father put the tip of the knife against the end of the long scar that stretched across the one side of Jack's face. He slowly and very painfully, dug the knife into Jack's skin in dragged it across until he reached the other end of the scar.

To Jack's father, that very visible scar, had marked Jack as someone else's and he wouldn't have that because that would be undermining his power over Jack. It was his possession and now he had made that clear.

Jack wanted to scream, but knew that would only make things worse so he pursed his lips shut and held it back.

"All done Jack. Now, I'm going to go now, try not to miss me okay." His father said as he left laughing at his own cruelty.

Jack started crying. Realization had finally hit him that no one could protect him. Even the Mercer's couldn't keep their promise. Jack didn't blame them though. His father just couldn't be beat. It wasn't anyone's fault. It's just the way shit was for him.

Jack carefully sat himself up against the wall, grunting as his brutally bruised stomach yelled in protest. He just sat there helplessly, feeling warm blood run quickly down the side of his face. It didn't matter though. Nothing mattered anymore. There was no stopping the inevitability of him ending back in his fathers grasp. But…something in him had changed and he couldn't find it in himself to just give up because the truth was, there were things to him that mattered. He had the Mercer's, he loved them. He realized that now and he realized that he didn't want to loose them.

"Jack!" He heard his Bobby's frantic voice calling for him.

"Bobby." He whimpered longingly to be with his real family. "Bobby. Bobby!" He yelled tears streaming hard down his face, mixing with blood.

Within a few seconds Bobby, Angel, and Jerry rounded the corner of the building to see their brother beaten and vulnerable. Their hearts jumped, their emotions running wild with mixed emotions such as rage, guilt, and sorrow.

"Jack, Jesus I'm so sorry. Shit I'm sorry Jack." Bobby said feeling 100% responsible for Jack being hurt.

"Ma. Please Bobby." Jack whimpered.

The three older brothers looked at each other. Jack had never before called Evelyn Ma before, but now wasn't really the time to point that out.

"I'll start the car." Jerry said as he ran to the car.

"Jacky, I'm gonna pick you up now okay. Are you okay, are you hurt bad?" Bobby asked his voice thick with concern.

Jack lifted his shirt to reveal an already vicious looking bruise. It was all sorts of ugly. "Shit." Bobby hissed as he ran his hands through his hair.

"I wanna go home." Jack whimpered again. "I don't care if it hurts just take me home."

Bobby nodded and gently scooped Jack into his arms. Jack drew in a sharp breathe as pain vibrated throughout his body. "Jack-" Bobby began to say before he was cut off.

"I'm fine. Take me home." Jack repeated as he buried his head into his brother's shoulder.

Even though Jack was only just 14, he was still pretty heavy, Bobby was feeling the strain in carrying him, but his baby brother needed him right now and it wasn't to hard to ignore the protest of his muscles.

"Jack, I know you just want to go home, but we gotta take you to the hospital first. You're pretty messed up there man." Jerry said as they turned onto the road.

"Jack, can you tell us who did that? We need to know." Angel asked softly as he listened to the pained breathing of his baby brother sitting next to him in the backseat.

"I want Ma. I don't want to go to the hospital. I want to go home." Jack looked Angel straight in the eyes pleading with him.

"I'm sorry Jack." Bobby said as he turned around to face Jack from the passenger's seat. "You need medical attention. I'll call Ma and she can meet us at the hospital. In the meantime we need to know who did that to you." Bobby said trying to reason with Jack's distraught thoughts.

"It was him, father." He whispered lowering his head.

All three older brothers shared a look of concern. "We'll get him Jack."

"No…no you won't." Jack looked up at them with eyes that said he had already accepted that fact. "That's okay though."

"No!" Bobby said firmly. "No, it's definitely not okay. Jack, I'm so sorry that we weren't there for you today, but that won't happen again."

Jack nodded, but it was clear he didn't believe what he was saying.

Once they were checked into the hospital Jack had his face stitched up for a second time and was treated for two cracked ribs. When Evelyn got the call from Bobby she immediately started bawling and refused to leave Jack's side.

Within a couple of hours the Mercer's weren't the only ones in the hospital room. Derek, Trip, Vick, and even Jessica, his old case worker, were all there. Jack never realized how many people cared about him. Tears brimmed his eyes as he looked around at all the people who had come to see him out of worry.

After about five hours they released Jack and he was able to go home. No one spoke once at home. They all just sat in the living room surrounding each other and embracing each others presence.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"Jack honey. Jack." Evelyn cooed softly as she sat on the side of Jack's bed trying to wake him.

Jack's eyes fluttered open and by habit he moved to sit up. Pain ricocheted through his body and he hissed and slowly let himself back down.

Evelyn ran a gentle hand through Jack's hair. "Are you okay sweety?" She asked lovingly.

Jack smiled, seeing how much sincere love was emanating off of her. "I'm fine Ma."

Evelyn smiled back at her baby boy and said, "Well that's good. I just wanted you to know that lunch was ready. You missed breakfast and I can't have the skinniest boy in my house skipping meals now can I?" She said in a teasing manner.

"I'll be down in a minute." Jack replied.

Evelyn left the room and closed the door behind her. Once she was gone Jack went through the rather painful process of getting himself up and dressed. He was breathing heavy by the time he was done. The pain was outrageous but the doctors said that putting him on painkillers could cause him to relapse. Jack really didn't want to go back to being like that so he decided that he should try it without the medication. He was starting to think that that might not have been the best idea.

Once Jack made it down the stairs he walked into the kitchen. The whole family was seated at the table making their sandwiches. When they saw Jack enter his three older brothers all had looks of guilt on their faces. Jack tried to ignore them and decided to just sit down.

"Jack." Jerry started. "I'm sorry that we weren't paying attention and you got taken. You have no idea how sorry we all are."

Jack sighed. "Guys, I don't blame you."

"You don't understand Jack. We could have stopped that from happening. How could you not blame us?" Bobby said feeling like a complete douche for letting someone hurt his baby brother like that.

"Bobby, let it go. It happened, I'm not gonna blame you for it. He gets away with everything. You wouldn't have been able to do anything anyway." Jack stated with no expression evident on his face.

The family exchanged looks of concern for the youngest Mercer before Bobby started to speak again. "Jack, I'm sorry about what happened, really sorry, I take full blame for it, but I'll be damned if I let that happen again."

Jack didn't say anything; he just kept his eyes glued to his untouched sandwich. It was evident by the look in his eyes that he didn't believe what Bobby was saying though.

Bobby knew that he had told the kid from day one that he wouldn't let his father get a hold of him and he knew that when his father did, it broke all the trust Jack had in Bobby. But he had meant what he said. He wouldn't let Jack out of the house if he had to do it that way but Bobby wouldn't allow Jack to be taken again.

"Jack sweety." Evelyn cooed gently when her baby boy made no sign of recognition towards anything Bobby had just said.

"Guys," Jack started with stress over coming his voice and features. "I don't blame you. I knew from the beginning that I'd end up back with him. It was stupid for me to think otherwise and-" Jack was abruptly cut off by Bobby's fist colliding hard with the table.

Jack flinched despite himself and his gaze was locked on Bobby's angry fist.

"Dammit Jack!" Bobby yelled. "Stop saying shit like that! You WILL not go back to that son of a bitch. You are a Mercer and I'm not letting some asshole change that. And for fucks sake snap out of it! I'm not gonna hit you, you should know that by now." He finished that last part in a soft tone but his gaze was penetrating and determined.

Jack looked up at Bobby's face and he felt himself start to crumble inside. He was torn. He believed Bobby, but at the same time he knew his father. He knew his persistence and once he owned something he became possessive over it. He didn't take kindly to others claiming what was his. Jack knew Bobby though to. He knew Bobby would rather die than see his new baby brother be delivered into the hands of that sick twisted man that Jack called father.

Jack broke down crying and just cried harder when the choking sobs strained his injuries. The Mercer's immediately surrounded their youngest protectively. Bobby carefully picked up the heavy teen and carried him to the couch where he sat next to Evelyn being instantly enveloped in a gentle hug.

Evelyn cooed to her distraught child as her boys moved the coffee table and sat in front of them.

"Jack sweety calm down, you're straining your injuries, you need to calm down sweety." Evelyn spoke gently as Jack slowly calmed himself to a silent crying feeling ashamed to be acting like this.

"I…I can't do this. I don't want this anymore. I didn't ask for this." Jack whispered repetitively to himself.

"Jack, Jack look at me." Bobby said in a firm but calm voice.

Jack let out a single sob and stifled the rest as he turned his gaze to his determined older brother.

"Jack you're going to be fine. You're father is not going to get anywhere near you. You're going to be strong and put faith into every word I say and you're not going to doubt _any_ of it. You hear me?" Bobby said in a way that made Jack believe every word that came out of his mouth.

Jack nodded slowly and started to feel the anxiety of the day get to him as his eyes closed and he drifted off into sleep and the last few tears found there way onto Evelyn's shoulder.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

A month had past with no incidents. Jack was doing great with his independent study. Bobby had managed to stay out of trouble, or at least not get caught. Angel and Sophie hadn't been fighting which was a miracle within it's self considering the woman's whiney nature. Jerry and Camille were doing just great, but nothing really new there. So, all was going great in the Mercer household.

"God dammit!" Bobby yelled angrily as he stormed into the living room. Jack and Angel looked up from the TV and stared at Bobby wondering what the center of Bobby's rage was this time. "Who drank my last beer!?"

Angel and Jack exchanged glances. Bobby had been rather cranky due to the fact he had been pent up in the house 24/7 because he refused to leave Jack's side and Jack never left the house. The constant down pour of rain wasn't helping anything much either.

Bobby stared expectantly. "I'm serious, who the fuck took it?!" He repeated.

"Bobby no one's touched your stupid beer. You probably drank it all and didn't realize it." Angel said like it was no big deal, which at this point, it really wasn't since Bobby had done this more than once in the past month.

"What kind of bullshit is that!? I think I'd know if I drank my last beer!" Bobby huffed.

"Bobby," Jack started in. "Let's back track. You had a six pack. Yesterday morning you drank one at breakfast and then another at lunch. You drank two last night while watching late night TV before you went to bed and two more at around noon today. That's six. Nobody drank your beer but you." He explained.

Bobby looked thoughtful for a moment and then looked at Jack quizzically. "How the hell did you know that?" He asked.

Jack looked back at the TV and just shrugged. But truth be told, counting someone's alcohol consumption had become a habit of his that he just did by reaction. It's how he knew when, in his previous homes, whether or not he should be quiet and just linger or completely disappear. He recalled a few times when he was able to do just that and remain untouched. Other times, he wasn't so lucky. Memories of being beaten and stripped of his pride flashed through his mind one after another.

"Jack!" Angel and Bobby shouted, both giving him a curious and concerned look.

"What?" Jack asked wondering why they had yelled at him when he didn't do anything.

"I don't know where you go when you get that look kid, but it scares the shit outa me. We had called your name like twenty times and you didn't answer." Bobby said as he plopped down in the arm chair with an agitated look on his face; more than likely due to the fact that he had no beer left and it was his fault.

"What were you thinking about just then?" Angel asked making Jack slightly uncomfortable.

Jack loved his family and he trusted them, but he still wasn't real big on the whole opening up thing.

"Nothing, just zoned out." Jack said making an obvious excuse.

"Yeah I'm sure." Bobby huffed, once again displaying his bad mood by calling Jack out on his bluff.

"Shut up Bobby, you're just pissed cause your source of sanity is gone." Angel said jumping his little brother's defense.

Bobby glared at him and stood from the chair and sauntered into the kitchen were he snatched up the phone and began dialing.

Angel sighed and turned to Jack. "Now that Mr. Impossible is gone…why don't you tell me what the hell was going through that cluttered head of yours." He, once again, persisted.

Jack groaned in annoyance that people couldn't just drop it when he evidently didn't want to discuss something. "Angel stop I don't wanna talk about it."

"Come on man, just tell me." Angel said in a whiney voice that Jack suppressed a laugh to considering he probably learned it from Sophie.

"Angel." Jack said in a warning tone that Angel ignored.

"Dude it's not that big a deal, just tell me."

Another few images of Jack's previous thoughts flickered through his vision only adding to Jack's anger since Angel's persistence is what brought them back to mind.

"Angel, drop it!" Jack said raising his voice and feeling the anxiety as memories played in the background of his thoughts while he lived reality in the presence.

Angel looked a little taken aback and Bobby turned his attention from the phone to a now aggravated Jack.

Jack stood up and with a few words of anger muttered under his breath, he left the room and jogged up the stairs to his room.

Bobby finished his conversation on the phone and walked back into the family room, suddenly in a much better mood.

Angel looked at Bobby with a funny look. "Why the hell are you so happy all of a sudden?"

"Jerry's on his way with a thirty pack." He answered with a devilish smirk.

Angel looked at him with a look of disbelief that Jerry didn't have anything better to do than get his slug of a brother more booze. "And how exactly did you manage that?" He asked.

"I told him if he didn't, his new little dog would end up under one of my car tires." Bobby said a little too gleefully.

Angel just shook his head and laughed.

"So what is Cracker Jack having a fit about?" Bobby asked as he propped his feet on the coffee table.

"I guess I was annoying him." Angel said simply.

Bobby just shrugged.

They watched TV a little longer until soaked wet Jerry came in with Bobby's thirty pack. Bobby all but jumped out of the chair and grabbed the beer out of Jerry's hands.

"Jesus Bobby calm down." Jerry grumbled as he flipped through the mail he had just taken out of the Mercer mail box.

"Oh my god." Jerry gasped.

Angel looked up at him quizzically and Bobby quickly finished putting his beer away and grabbing one before heading back into the living room to see what was up.

"What?" Bobby asked while taking a huge sip of his long awaited beer.

Jerry wordlessly tossed a manila envelope onto the table. Bobby picked it up slowly and pulled out its contents. He felt anger and disgust boiling up inside of him as he looked down at the pictures he had just pulled out.

"What?" Angel hesitated in saying as he saw both his brother's reactions.

Bobby handed over the pictures and Angel gagged at what he saw. They were pictures of Jack; pictures that must have been taken when Jack was still with his father. The tortured look on Jack's face of every messed up, bloody, twisted picture made Angel's stomach do flip flops.

"What the hell." He said barely above a whisper.

They all just stood there for a second not knowing what to do with all the feelings going through them at that moment.

"What the hell's wrong with you guys?" Jack asked as he walked into the room.

Everyone jumped and faced Jack with guilty expressions on their faces.

Jack looked at them hesitantly. "Did I do something wrong? Did something happen?" He said in a small voice.

"No, no Jack and stop thinking like that. I thought we were past that." Bobby said trying to sound annoyed, but unable to get those photos out of his head.

Jack looked at him with a baffled expression. "Then what?"

Angel moved to put the photos in his back pocket without Jack noticing.

"What is that?" Jack asked with Angel's attempt evidently being unsuccessful.

"Nothing." Jerry stated quickly.

"Can I see what it is?" Jack asked getting suspicious.

"No." Bobby chimed in.

"Why not? You said it was nothing." Jack asked.

"Why would you want to see something that's nothing?" Angel pointed out.

"Why _can't_ I see something that you claim to be nothing?" Jack retorted.

"Jack, drop it." Angel said.

Jack huffed. "Yeah, you're the last person to be saying that to me."

No one said anything to that.

"You're hiding something from me." Jack said after awhile.

"No we're not." Said Jerry.

"Yes you are. What is it? Tell me." Jack demanded with a blank expression.

Jack's three older brother's silently debated to themselves on what would be best to do. They didn't want to lie to Jack, but they didn't want him to see the horrors, even though he had seen them first hand.

"Jack," Bobby started in slowly. "Your…your father has sort of…made contact more or less."

Jack stayed still, his venire unwavering. "How?" He asked stiffly.

Bobby drew in a deep breathe and continued. "With a letter of sorts."

"I want to see it." He stated blatantly.

Bobby faltered. "Jack, it's not like that."

"Then what's it like?" Jack asked in a stoic voice.

Bobby didn't know what to do. This wasn't like Jack. He usually broke into hysterics by now. Bobby wasn't to sure what to do about this new side of Jack.

"Jack…they're pictures." Bobby whispered quietly.

"Give them to me." Jack insisted.

Jerry creased his eyebrows in concern. "Jack…"

"Please give them to me." He said again.

Angel hesitated, but gave them to Jack all the same and without saying anything else Jack walked outside into the pouring rain. His three brothers followed not sure what to think and stood in the door way as they watched Jack get on his hands and knees and start to dig through the mud with a blank expression plastered across his face. After he was satisfied with the small hole; he continued by tearing the pictures into microscopic pieces and burying them.

"Fuck you!!!!" Jack screamed out, holding up his middle finger to the world with, what might have been tears streaming down alongside the rain.

He just sat on the ground for a moment and just looked out at nothing in particular before retreating into the house where he walked right past his stunned brothers and back up to his room.

Bobby and his brothers exchanged looks of surprise and concern as they looked up at closed door of the younger Mercer's room.

* * *

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I'm REAL sorry that it took me so long to update! I hope it was worth it!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

"Hello Boys." Evelyn greeted with an exhausted smile as she walked into the house.

"Ma." Angel's voice immediately alerted Evelyn that something was wrong.

"Baby what's wrong?" She asked concerned.

"We got something in the mail today." Jerry answered her.

"They were pictures…from Jack's father." Bobby said, but before he could say anything more, Evelyn was running up the stairs.

The boys didn't follow her as she reached Jack's door. She knocked lightly and then a tad harder as she got no reply. Finally she slowly began to open the door. The first thing she noticed was that the lights were off. The second thing she noticed was that Jack wasn't in his bed where she'd expected him to be.

"Jack? Honey it's Evelyn, where are you?" She waited for an answer and got none.

She walked her way over to the closet and slowly opened it and found it empty as well. She started to panic. She looked under the bed next and it too revealed that Jack was not there. Evelyn rushed out of the room and called for the boys.

"I can't find Jack. He's not in his room." Evelyn said franticly as the boys reached the landing.

"Okay well did you check the other rooms?" Bobby asked taking charge of the situation.

"No, Angel I want you to search the upstairs. Jerry you look down stairs and Bobby and I will look outside." Everyone nodded took on their jobs.

Not five minutes later did Angel call everyone back into the house.

"The bathroom door is locked. I think Jack is in there, but he won't let me in and he won't say anything." Angel spoke as everyone hurried their way upstairs.

Bobby banged loudly on the door. "Jack open up!" He shouted getting no reply. "Open the door or I'm plowing it down!" He yelled again.

After they got no reply Bobby backed up and rammed over the door. What they saw set panic in all of them.

"Shit Jack!" Bobby yelled as he pulled and unconscious Jack into his arms. "Angel call 911!"

Bobby quickly stripped off his shirt and put pressure on Jack's wrists. He had already lost a lot of blood. Thankfully it wasn't a minute later that the paramedics showed up. They took him away in a hurry. Evelyn rode in the back with Jack and Jerry drove everyone to the ER.

When they arrived Evelyn was in tears in the waiting room. The boys embraced her in a comforting hug.

"Mrs. Mercer?" A doctor said from behind them.

Evelyn composed herself the best she could and faced the doctor. "Yes."

"My name is Dr. Richards and I thought you'd like to know that Jack is going to be okay. We stitched him up and he's in no danger of dying. If you'd follow me I can take you to him." The Dr. said in a professional manner.

Evelyn nodded and they all started to follow him down that hall. When the Dr. finally stopped in front of a door he paused to talk to them again.

"Now he's sedated right now so you won't be able to talk to him and don't be alarmed when you see that he has on restraints. It's a precaution we take with all of out suicide watch patients. I'm permitting you to stay the night because I know you Ms. Mercer and I know it would be foolish to try and stop you. So if you need anything please feel free to ask." With that finishing statement the Dr. opened the door and let the family in and left, closing the door behind him.

Evelyn took up a chair next to the bed. She looked at him and felt such pain in her hurt it was unbearable and she broke down crying.

"Ma…" was all Bobby could say because truth be told he didn't really know what to say. His baby brother just tried to off himself.

They stayed in silence and after awhile until Bobby suggested that he stay with Jack since everyone but him had a life. They argued for awhile until they just gave up, said goodbye to Jack, and left promising they'd come back tomorrow night.

Bobby sat in the chair next to Jacky and a few hours later he was out like a light.

Bobby awoke to see that Jack was awake and he was a few steps away from spazing out. He was pulling on his restraints and his breathing was fast and erratic.

"Whoa, Jacky calm down kid, it's okay." Bobby said softly as he put a gentle hand on Jack's mop of hair. He knew that Jack felt real claustrophobic and that pinning him down like this maybe wasn't the best thing, but necessary.

Jack looked like he was trying desperately to calm himself, but he just ended up bucking at the restraints and letting out a series of whimpers.

"Shhh, Jacky calm down, you're okay." Bobby tried to comfort him, but it wasn't working.

Jack was getting more distressed by the second. He was pulling vigorously at the restraints, he was crying, and he was in complete hysterics.

It wasn't long before nurses came it. They were holding needles and Bobby knew that if they injected whatever that shit was, into his lil brother than he wouldn't see a conscious Jack for quite awhile.

"Wait, let me get a hold of this." Bobby told the nurse.

The nurse nodded and stood back.

"Jack listen, listen if you don't stop they're going to knock you up with drugs that'll mess you up for awhile. Please don't make them do that." He pleaded with him.

Jack stopped struggling and shut his eyes tightly as his body began to shake. It was clear that he was scared to death. He was highly claustrophobic. He was fine in small spaces as long as he had the ability to get out of them, but he didn't have that here and it was freaking him out.

Bobby nodded at the nurse, dismissing her, and stroked his brother hair.

"Jacky…why did you do it, you really scared the shit out of us little man." Bobby asked earnestly.

More tears streaked down Jack's face and tremors continued to consume his body. He didn't make an effort to answer Bobby's question.

Bobby let out a sigh. "Okay, well I'm going to go call Ma and tell her that you're awake now." He stood and didn't get one step from where he was when he heard Jack whimper. He turned around and saw Jack staring at him with tears filled eyes that were telling him how much Jack needed him to stay.

Bobby nodded and resumed his spot next to Jack, running his hand soothingly through his hair.

Instead he pressed the button on the remote that was connected to the bed. A nurse came in a few minutes later in response too the button being pressed.

"May I help you sir?" She asked with a smile.

"Ya, can you call my Ma and tell her that Jack is awake? Her name is Evelyn Mercer." Bobby asked.

"Yes, I'll get right on that. Anything else you need?" She asked.

Bobby shook his head no and the woman left. He turned his attention back to Jack and noticed that he had fallen asleep. He gave a sad smile and wiped the remainder of Jack's tears off of his face.


End file.
